The body of a skipper was found 50 metres off-shore at Brightwaters on the Atlantic side of Cape Point on Saturday, after the boat capsized in dense fog. Picture: NSRI
The body of a skipper was found 50 metres off-shore at Brightwaters on the Atlantic side of Cape Point on Saturday, after the boat capsized in dense fog.
Two others, aged 29 and 17, from Hout Bay, who were also on the boat, raised the alarm after they managed to get to safety.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Hout Bay station commander, Spencer Oldham, said NSRI Kommetjie, Simons Town and Hout Bay duty crews were activated after the Cape Medical Response and SANParks ranger raised the alarm.
“Two men arrived at the Cape Point main gate and reported that their boat had capsized at Brightwaters, 1.5 nautical miles south of Olifantsbospunt, during the early hours of the morning, and their skipper was missing.
“They had both managed to reach the shore after their boat reportedly capsized in the surf zone in dense fog.
Their boat had then washed ashore, but they found no signs of their skipper and feared he was missing in the surf zone.
“On arrival at the scene, the casualty boat was found beached and an extensive sea and shoreline search commenced for the missing 39-year-old skipper, a fisherman from Ocean View.
“It appears that the casualty boat may have been swamped by a wave before running aground on the shoreline. During the search the body of the man was located between 30 and 50 metres off-shore at Brightwaters and was recovered on to the NSRI rescue craft.
“Sadly, the man was declared deceased.
“The body of the deceased man was brought to NSRI Hout Bay rescue station aboard the NSRI rescue craft in the care of NSRI Hout Bay crew and handed over to the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.”
Oldham conveyed his condolences to the family and friends of the deceased man and said police had opened an inquest docket.
The Mercury