NSRI called out to rescue Hout Bay crew

The NSRI was called out in Monday night's storm to assist a 50-ton Hout Bay fishing boat.

The Hangberg, which was fishing between the Sentinel and Karbonkelberg, had a crew of 14 on board and a full cargo of fish.

The call-out was one of three for the NSRI on Monday off the Western Cape coast.

Brad Geyser, Hout Bay station commander, said the fishing vessel had had intermittent engine trouble and had been battling a 40-knot gusting north-westerly and pouring rain. It had called for help about 9.30pm.

But by the time two NSRI craft reached the Hangberg, the crew had managed to restart the engine and the rescue boats escorted the vessel to harbour.

Earlier, the NSRI Plettenberg Bay station was called when Raymond Farnham, the station commander's son, was thrown out of a boat in the Keurbooms River.

Commander Ray Farnham said Raymond had been instructing a student, Gordon Mowatt, in his practical skipper's course and Mowatt was at the helm when the boat was hit by a wave. Both were thrown out of the boat, with Farnham hitting the centre hatch and hurting his sternum as he fell.

The kill-switch worn around the ankle to cut the engine had not yet been attached to Mowatt, so the boat continued circling. Mowatt swam away, but the boat ran over Farnham, injuring his back.

He was wearing a thick drysuit and was not badly hurt.

The NSRI retrieved both Farnham and Mowatt. The boat was fetched when it ran out of fuel.

Earlier a woman called the Ocean View police station to say a boat had capsized off Kommetjie.

The Metro Rescue Red Cross AMS helicopter was launched and NSRI stations at Kommetjie and Simon's Town alerted. A helicopter search from Cape Point to Hout Bay found nothing. It was decided the call was a false alarm.