14 killed in horror sea collision

Fourteen crew members of a Cape fishing trawler are missing presumed dead after their vessel collided with a 178-metre container vessel 20 nautical miles south of Port Elizabeth at 1.30am on Sunday. Only two survived.

It was the second mishap to hit the 30-metre chokka boat, Lindsay, from Mossel Bay. Five years ago the crew was about to abandon ship as a huge fire engulfed the deck. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) rescued the crew, put out the fire and towed the Lindsay back to Mossel Bay.

On Sunday sea and air searches - spanning more than 21 square nautical miles in high visibility - were called off at 10am.

The Lindsay had been preparing to drop anchor when it was hit on its port side by the enormous Ouro da Brazil, a refrigerated container vessel, 10 nautical miles off Sardinia Bay, while most of its crew was still asleep in forward compartments. Twenty seconds after impact the Lindsay apparently turned upside down and began to fill with water.

"The size difference between the ships is tremendous. The crew of the 'Brazil' would hardly have felt the impact," said Ian Gray, NSRI station commander at Port Elizabeth.

The Lindsay's skipper was pushed out of the cabin by water pressure and remained afloat until he was rescued by a nearby fishing vessel, Lincoln, at 2.45am.

He was breathing with difficulty, possibly from the ingestion and inhalation of diesel fuel. He may have fractured ribs, and was admitted to a private hospital in Port Elizabeth.

The other survivor, a crewman knocked overboard from the upper deck, was soon rescued by the Ouro da Brazil. He is in a stable condition at St George's Hospital in Port Elizabeth.

The NSRI was contacted by the Ouro da Brazil at 1.40am and immediately co-ordinated a rescue effort involving the SA Air Force, Metro Rescue and Ambulance Services, Port Elizabeth Fire and Rescue Services, Netcare 911 Ambulance Services and area hospitals. The rescue effort involved 12 vessels and two helicopters.

At the site of the accident, rescuers found a mile-long field of debris which contained all of the Lindsay's life-jackets and all four of its life rafts, presumed to be unused.

The cause of the collision is under investigation by the SA Maritime Safety Authority and Port Elizabeth police.

"The bottom line is, obviously, that somebody wasn't looking out," said Gray.

Officials say it may be difficult to locate the Lindsay, as it is 130 metres below the sea's surface. At the time there were two-metre swells and a five-knot south-westerly wind. The water temperature was about 16C.

The Ouro da Brazil - damaged and leaking - remained at the scene until 9.30am, when it was released to dock at Port Elizabeth for repairs.

The reefer was sailing from Singapore to Brazil and was said to be close to the coast because of a favourable tide.

The Lindsay, owned by the Viking Fishing group, was making its way from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth when it dropped anchor 10 miles off the coast.

Gray said: "Everyone did the best they could to help in this tragic situation."

Source: www.iol.co.za