Saturday 12 May 2012

Trawler: No immediate risk of oil pollution

Cape Town - A 50m fishing trawler has run aground at First Beach in Clifton, Cape Town on Saturday morning, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.

"All people on board at this stage are safe, but with an incoming tide that may change," spokespersonn Craig Lambinon said.

The Japanese trawler was about 20m off-shore in the wave-line and rescue efforts were in progress.

A 28 person crew, including a dog, were on board the trawler, named Eihatsu Maru, City of Cape Town disaster risk management centre spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said.

The trawler ran aground around 05:15.

"At this stage there is no immediate risk of oil pollution to the coastline as a result of the stranding of the vessel," Solomons-Johannes said.

"The city dispatched disaster response teams to the scene, however the salvaging operations has been hampered by thick fog."

The Associated Press reported that 19 people had been taken off the trawler, with the captain, the dog and a skeleton crew remaining on board.


- SAPA/News24

No comments:

Post a Comment