Man drowns as boat sinks in rough seas

One man drowned and another is missing after a specially adapted boat, carrying a team of eight kelp cutters and loaded with the seaweed, sank in rough seas between Cape Agulhas and Gansbaai on Monday.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said rescue services had been told about 9.50am that eight men appeared to be in difficulty off Quoin Point Henk Henn, station commander of NSRI Hermanus, said a rescue boat was launched and a Red Cross helicopter took off with NSRI rescue swimmers.

It was found that the men's eight-metre boat, which was filled with kelp, had sunk in rough surf.

Six of the men had reached the shore.

One of the men, aged about 50, had drowned, Metro paramedics had reported from the scene.

"Unconfirmed reports suggest that he may have had a heart attack," Henn said.

A second man was missing.

The rescue boat and helicopter had searched the area extensively, but had failed to find him.

"One man has been flown to the Hermanus Hospital by helicopter for treatment for hypothermia," Henn said.

"The remaining five men were assessed by medics at the scene and none requires further assistance."

According to reports from the scene, the eight men were kelp cutters for the perlemoen industry in Gansbaai.

The swell at the scene was two metres and a south-westerly wind of 20 knots was blowing, Henn said.

The Boland police dive unit and members of the Cape Town police dive unit are to continue the search for the missing man.

Patrols of the shore are also continuing.

Source: www.iol.co.za