Renewed appeal to public to stay clear of the Seli 1 wreck

The City of Cape Town would like to restate its appeal to the citizens of Cape Town that they keep well clear of the weakened Seli 1 wreck off the coast in Table Bay. Given that the wreck has been substantially weakened, it constitutes a danger and is therefore unsafe.

The public is warned not to approach within 100 metres of the wreck.

The weakening of the wreck was a planned outcome of the operation, and was intended to pave the way for ocean forces to collapse the wreck onto the seabed during the coming winter.

The wreck will be continuously monitored to determine if the objectives of the operation have been met, and whether any further work is required.

End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

For operational enquiries: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects and Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

Photos: South African Navy completes initial wreck reduction efforts

The Joint Multi-agency Task Team monitoring the Seli 1 wreck reduction process has announced that the Operational Diving Team (ODT) of the South African Navy has completed the initial wreck reduction efforts.

While the wreck is still visible, significant progress has been made in weakening its structure and it is expected that it is now sufficiently weakened to enable the ocean forces to collapse it onto the seabed during the upcoming winter, as originally intended.

The ODT in conjunction with the Department of Transport will conduct further assessments of the wreck to assist the Task Team in determining if the objectives of the operation have been met and whether any further work is required. Further decisions will then be made in this regard.

The Task Team reported that minimal quantities of oil released from the wreck were promptly contained and dealt with. In addition, marine life was largely unaffected by the operation. Clean-up contingency measures will remain in place.

Given that the wreck has been substantially weakened, it constitutes a danger and is therefore unsafe to the public. The public is required to remain clear of the wreck at all times.

The public will be kept updated of further developments.

The Task Team would like to thank the residents of Table View and the general public for their cooperation during the operation.

End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

For operational enquiries: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects and Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

SEA RESCUE – STILL BAY – Wednesday, 20th March, 2013. Fishing boat sinks, all crew rescued

Enrico Menezies, NSRI Still Bay station commander, said:

"At 18h40 (Wednesday, 20th March) NSRI Still Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a request for assistance from the 26 foot commercial fishing boat DANELLA II, with 7 local crewmen onboard, reporting to be taking water through a hole in midships 44 nautical miles South West of Still Bay, deep-sea between Still Bay and Witsand at Alpha Bunker (fishing grounds).

"DANELLA II had launched from Still Bay to go fishing deep-sea at Alpha Bunker, accompanied by two fellow boats, but on arrival at the fishing grounds they found that they were taking water through a hole in midships. The hole had appeared from unknown causes.

"Water intake through the hole could only be partially stemmed with the boat underway and while they began to pump water out of the boat, using water pumps, they raised the alarm by calling Telkom Maritime Radio Services on the emergency radio frequency requesting assistance.

"DANELLA II had begun heading towards Still Bay while NSRI Still Bay activated a rescue effort. The skipper and crew were fighting to save their boat pumping water out while making best speed towards Still Bay.

"Our NSRI Still Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF ST FRANCIS and responded to rendezvous with the DANELLA II and NSRI Witsand and NSRI AGULHAS, the SA Police Services and the WC Government Health EMS were placed on alert.

"Telkom Maritime Radio Services remained in radio contact with DANELLA II while continuing to plot her course ensuring that the sea rescue craft rendezvoused with her and maintaining radio communications during the rescue operation.

"On arrival on-scene, at 21h00, 32 nautical miles South West of Still Bay, we found DANELLA II heavy in the water in choppy seas and initially 4 of the 7 crew were taken off the casualty boat (transferred onto our sea rescue craft) to lighten the casualty boat and we continued to assist to pump water out.

"We escorted DANELLA II towards Still Bay for a further 5 nautical miles but the hole had appeared to get larger and the casualty boat was getting very heavy in the water, despite the best efforts to pump water out of the casualty boat and trying to get her safely to shore, and the decision was taken by the casualty boat skipper to abandon ship.

"The skipper of DANELLA II, Anthony Richards, from Still Bay, had made a massive effort to save his boat while ensuring the safety of his crew.
"The skipper realizing that a decision would have to be made on wether to try to continue on towards Still Bay or abandon his boat.

"It was an emotional moment when the decision to abandon ship came from the skipper and 5 minutes after the remaining 3 crew members were safely taken off the casualty boat she filled with water and sunk. Only her bow remains out of the water, with an air pocket trapped in the bow, and we anchored the casualty boat to prevent her from drifting.

"We remained on the scene for a further 15 minutes but the casualty boat did not sink completely. 28 nautical miles South West of Still Bay only a small section of the bow remains above of water.

"Telkom Maritime Radio Services are broadcasting a navigational warning to vessels in the area warning of the navigational hazard.

"All 7 crew members of the casualty boat were brought safely ashore to Still Bay aboard our sea rescue craft. There were no injuries. The rescue operation was completed at 23h45.

"The owners have not decided if a salvage operation will be attempted or if the semi sunk casualty boat will be scuttled at sea and it is unknown at this stage if the casualty boat has perhaps now sunk completely."


-ENDS-


Released by:


Craig Lambinon
Sea Rescue Communications

Photos: SA Navy 3rd day of weakening Seli 1 wreck by blasting with explosives

Images: Bruce Sutherland, Principal Photographer, City of Cape Town ( Click on images for larger view.)

STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, ALDERMAN J.P. SMITH: City grateful to SA Navy for assistance with Seli 1 wreck reduction

The City of Cape Town is pleased with the progress of the wreck reduction activities undertaken thus far in respect of the Seli 1 wreck.

The purpose of the operation is to strategically weaken the structure of the wreck and for it to be collapsed onto the seabed by the ocean forces.

A renewed appeal is made to the general public to adhere to the restrictions that are in place as well as instructions of the various law enforcement agencies present on-site. The public is not allowed to access the wreck under any circumstances.

Whilst the operation is going as planned, the public is reminded that the wreck may remain visible until dismantled by the ocean forces.

The operation follows the Department of Transport enlisting the assistance of the South African (SA) Navy to undertake the wreck reduction process. In addition, the City of Cape Town, the South African Maritime Safety Authority(SAMSA), the Department of Environmental Affairs and other supporting agencies are assisting with the provision of resources and manpower.

The SA Navy is undertaking this operation as part of its continuous training exercises and no funding has been allocated to the SA Navy.

The joint multi-agency task team is grateful to the SA Navy, given the costs that would otherwise have been incurred by the Department of Transport to undertake this operation.

The contingency measures will remain in place for the duration of the operation to deal with any oil pollution incidents.

End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

For Operational enquiries: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects and Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

Photos: Seli 1 wreck reduction well underway

= Images: Bruce Sutherland, Principal Photographer, City of Cape Town

Good progress has been made on the Seli 1 wreck reduction efforts, with the focus of today’s activities being on weakening the bow that keeps the wreck intact.


An Operational Diving Team (ODT) of the SA Navy had earlier commenced with the wreck reduction of the Seli 1 on Monday 11 February 2013. The planned operation is a phased approach which will involve precision blow-cutting in order to weaken the structure of the wreck.

Significant progress has been made to weaken the vessel and the focus of the ODT will now be on the containment area where the oil tanks are located.

The ODT is conducting continuous assessments to determine the structural integrity of the wreck.

The objectives of the operation involve the weakening of the vessel and the release of potential oils on-board.

The desired outcomes of the operation are as follows:

· mitigate further altering of the coastline by means of erosion

· eliminate navigational hazards to small craft in the immediate area

· reduce risks to recreational users

· eliminate further oil spills

The general public are informed that the wreck may remain visible until ocean forces further assist in collapsing it onto the seabed.

The established Joint Task Team has put in place contingency measures to deal with potential oil spills and contamination of marine life.

The relevant authorities have on-site monitoring staff and standby teams in place for the duration of the operation.

The City of Cape Town once again appeals to the general public to adhere to the following safety measures that are being enforced:

· The entire beach and dune area opposite the wreck is closed to the public and demarcated parking areas are off-limits

· Recreational activities are not permitted

· An area of approximately 1 000m surrounding the wreck is off-limits to all vessels and water users during the operation. The various law enforcement agencies are actively policing the off-limits areas

· The airspace surrounding the wreck is prohibited and no aircraft are allowed to operate within this space

The public will be kept updated on progress with the wreck reduction operation.

The City apologises for any inconvenience caused and thanks residents and the general public for their cooperation and understanding.

End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

Source: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects and Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

Seli 1 wreck reduction attempt set to take place next week

A wreck reduction process in respect of the stranded Seli 1 vessel is, subject to favourable weather conditions, set to commence during the week of 11 March 2013.

The South African Navy, who have recently carried out an investigation and survey of the wreck, have been enlisted by The Department of Transport to undertake the operation. Assistance in the form of resources and manpower will also be provided by the City of Cape Town, the South African Maritime Safety Authority and the Department of Environmental Affairs.

The wreck reduction, planned and undertaken through a multi-agency Task Team, is intended to strategically weaken the wreck structure and, with the help of the ocean forces, collapse it onto the seabed.

Remedial and protective measures are being put in place by the Joint Task Team to manage and mitigate the release of any oils or pollutants, and the impact of this on the coastline and marine life. All risks with regards to oil pollution and the sensitive marine environment have been considered. Standby teams to respond to any oil pollution or oiling of seabirds will be in place, and SANCCOB and the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town have been engaged as part of the process.

The complete collapsing of the wreck in this manner and the release of remaining pollutants under controlled conditions will likely remove all remaining negative impacts of the Seli 1 on our coastline. Subsequent to the operation, however, an assessment will be undertaken to determine if any further work is required.

On 7 September 2009 the Seli 1 experienced engine problems and sought refuge in Table Bay. A snapped anchor chain compounded with reduced engine power and stormy weather conditions culminated in the vessel grounding off the Table View Beach shortly before midnight.

Since the stranding, the vessel has posed several risks as evident from the oil slicks experienced, the contamination of marine life and the pollution of the shoreline. The presence of the vessel has also resulted in the altering of the Table Bay coastline by means of accretion and erosion. The vessel also poses a risk to recreational beach users, especially kite surfers.

The Joint Task Team is pleased that the South African Navy will commence the wreck reduction process before the 2013 winter.

“It is extremely significant that this process will be commencing before the winter period, which in all likelihood would result in further breakup of the vessel, increased oil spills and oil contamination. In addition, the sea conditions during winter are such that the operation would not be viable,” said Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.

The public are required to adhere to the following safety measures as from 11 March 2013 until further advised:

· The entire beach and dune area opposite the wreck will be closed to the public and demarcated parking areas will also be off-limits;

· Recreational activities are not permitted;

· An area of approximately 1000m surrounding the wreck will be off-limits to all vessels and water users during the operation. Active policing of the off-limits area will be in force by various law enforcement agencies; and

· The airspace surrounding the wreck is prohibited and no aircraft are allowed to operate.

Updates on the wreck reduction will be issued and the public will be informed as to when the area is re-opened for recreation.

The City is endeavouring to ensure that the impact to residents is minimised. The cooperation and assistance of the public will be greatly appreciated.

End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town

For Operational enquiries: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects & Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

City closes Sparks Bay tidal pool due to Stingray been present (26 January 2013)

The general public is advised that the Sparks Bay tidal pool area will be closed with immediate effect due to a large Stingray that is present in the water.

Stingrays that are related to the shark family do not aggressively attack humans, though stings do normally occur if a ray is accidentally stepped on.

The injury is very painful, but seldom life-threatening unless the stinger pierces a vital area.

Most stingrays have one or more barbed stings on the tail, which are used exclusively in self-defense.

The stinger may reach a length of approximately 35 centimeters (14 inches), and its underside has two grooves with venom glands.

Immediate First Aid Advice:

· If a person comes in contact with the stinger it causes local trauma (from the cut itself), pain, swelling, muscle cramps from the venom, and later may result in infection from bacteria or fungus.

· The barb usually breaks off in the wound, and surgery may be required to remove the fragments.

The City’s law enforcement officers cordoned off the area to prevent the public from swimming in the tidal pool.

It is expected that the Stingray will be taken out by the current when high-tide sets in at approximately 15:10 PM today [Saturday, 26 January 2013].

The City wishes to apologies for any inconvenience caused, however the action has been taken in the interest of public safety.

End

Issued by: Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town


Sourc: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration, Special Projects and Disaster Operations, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town

'Two killed' in southern India cyclone

At least two people have died and an oil tanker has run aground after the south-eastern coast of India was hit by Cyclone Nilam on Wednesday evening.

Reports said a crew member of the oil tanker drowned after a boat carrying him and others capsized in the choppy seas near Chennai, in Tamil Nadu state.

A man also slipped into the rough sea and drowned in Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu, reports say.

Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated to escape the storm which hit Chennai.

At least 4,000 people in displacement camps in nearby Sri Lanka have been affected by flooding. But the worst of the storm failed to hit Sri Lankan territory directly.

Cyclone Nilam hit the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and the town of Pondicherry with wind speeds reaching 100km/h (60mph).

Reports said that a search operation had been mounted for at least five missing crew members of the oil tanker than ran aground near the Chennai coast.

Schools, colleges and cargo operations at the port in Chennai, Tamil Nadu's state capital, were shut. Fishermen in both states were warned not to venture out to sea.

India's weather department has warned of continual rainfall, strong winds and rising tides until at least Thursday morning.

It said in a statement that the storm had extensively damaged groundnut and maize crops, and thatched-roof properties, along the coast.

In addition power and communication lines have been put out of action.

Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka disruption was at its greatest in Mullaitivu in the north-east and Gampaha on the west coast. In the north, the Red Cross has been distributing tarpaulins, mats and mosquito nets.

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says that people in areas hit by heavy fighting at the conclusion of the war in 2009 have been badly affected.

In December 2011, more than 30 people died and many homes were damaged after a cyclone struck near Pondicherry.

And in May 2010 at least 23 people died as a powerful cyclone caused widespread havoc across Andhra Pradesh.

- BBC

Pacific yachtsman thanks Boeing pilot, passengers for rescue

The 11-metre yacht "Streaker" which was de-masted in heavy weather, is seen from a police vessel after its captain, Glenn Ey, was rescued about 270 nautical miles east of Wollongong. Ey activated an emergency locator beacon (EPIRB) and was initially spotted by a passing Air Canada Boeing 777 enroute to Sydney from Vancouver, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.

Image by: HANDOUT / REUTERS

A rescued yachtsman thanked the pilots and passengers of a Sydney-bound commercial plane after they spotted his boat adrift on the Pacific Ocean.

Glenn Ey, 44, from Brisbane had been drifting for five days after his 11-metre yacht was hit by huge waves, snapping off the mast Friday.

Currents took him further out to sea and he was about 500 kilometres off Sydney when he ran out of fuel on Tuesday and set off his emergency beacon.

Search and rescue operators asked commercial airlines to keep a lookout for the yachtsman. An Air Canada flight from Vancouver diverted its approach to Sydney and reduced altitude to join the search.

The skipper of the Boeing 777, Captain Andrew Robertson, told reporters he dropped to 1,524 metres and reduced speed while crew and passengers scoured the waters below through binoculars. The plane’s first officer spotted the drifting boat and alerted rescue operators.

A Sydney police rescue boat reached the drifting yacht on Wednesday and brought Ey into Sydney early Thursday.

“A monstrous wave just came up and rolled the boat over. I went smashing into the roof,” Ey told Channel 7 News on his arrival in Sydney.

Ey thanked everyone on the passenger plane for diverting to spot him, enabling him to be rescued.

“I thought my number was up,” he said.

- Times Live

Waarskuwing: Danabaai-strande - Mosselbaai

DANABAAI NUUS - Vakansiegangers en inwoners word gemaan om die parkeerareas van die twee Danabaai-strande met groot omsigtigheid te betree.

Rowwe seetoestande het die duin nog meer weggekalwe en veral die sypaadjie en trappe is nou baie gevaarlik.

- Mosselbaai Advertiser

Update: Six drown in Plettenberg Bay

It has been alleged that this is the sandbank near the river mouth that the small tiller boat had hit prior to the disappearance of the six persons onboard as well as the boat. The incident occured on Thursday, August 9 at the river mouth on Keurbooms River (Poortjies). Leatitia Wildeman's body was found on Thursday evening, and her son Luan's body on Friday, August 10. Both were found near the river mouth, while Henry Waits' body was recovered on Tuesday, August 14 at the Dunes, Keurbooms Beach

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - For the Wildeman and Figland families of Plettenberg Bay, Women's Day was marred by the tragic loss of six relatives who drowned on Thursday, August 9.

The body of 42-year-old Leatitia Wildeman was recovered hours after their tiller boat had allegedly hit a sandbank near the river mouth (Poortjies) of the Keurbooms River.

Relatives and friends who were anxiously waiting on the shore were devastated when the body of eight-year-old Luan Wildeman was found at about 09:00 on Friday, August 10, while the body of Henry Waits was found at the Dunes on Keurbooms Beach on Tuesday, August 14. Llewellyn Wildeman, Jeffrey Wildeman and Roland Figland were still missing at time of going to print.

"At 20:30 on the night of Thursday, August 9, NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a tiller boat (a small river boat), six people onboard, overdue from fishing on the Keurbooms River," said Deon Truter, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander.

"Our NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft, Ian Hepburn and our Discovery rescue runner while NSRI rescue swimmers and the SA Police Force responded to the scene."

On arrival on-scene a search commenced for six persons and their boat, four adult males, a female and her eight-year-old son.

Truter explained, "During a search the body of the female was located and recovered by NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescuers in the river mouth in the surf." Leatitia Wildeman was immediately identified on the scene by her husband, Dawid Wildeman and her body handed to the Forensic Pathology Services.

An extensive search was orchestrated by NSRI sea rescue craft and shore patrols, police, the police dive unit and Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services rescue team and their Skymed helicopter.

Luan's body was recovered at daybreak by NSRI volunteers. "Shortly after the search commenced today (Friday, August 10) the body of the eight-year-old was found," confirmed Truter.

The bereaved father and husband, Dawid Wildeman and his daughters, Davidene and Laurencia Kapp were treated for trauma on the scene before being taken home.

The police divers found Henry Waits' body on Tuesday. According to Lieutenant Marlene Pieterse, SAPS media liaison, the families of the victims were at first unable to identify the body as one of the missing fishermen. However, Waits' son-in-law were able to identify him as his father-in-law when he went to view the body for a second time.

The search for the remaining three men, Roland Figland, Jeffrey Wildeman, and Llewellyn Wildeman continued. Their boat has also not yet been found.

The cause of the tragedy was still uncertain. "It remains unknown what transpired to cause the this incident but the location of the two bodies found (the body of the female found and recovered in the surf in the river mouth and the body of the child found and recovered in the surf between the two river mouths) has led NSRI to suspect that their small boat was washed out through the river mouth, but the NSRI is not speculating as to what may have caused this incident or whether the boat had capsized," said Truter.

A distressed Dawid Wildeman said he, Hendrik Julius and Roland Pieterse had been fishing with his wife, brothers and friend on the afternoon of the accident. He explained that he, Pieterse and Julius followed the ill-fated boat in a small canoe, heading for shore at Lookout Beach.

"We fished together often. They were far ahead of us and they phoned minutes after 19:00 to say that they had hit a sandbank. We tried to phone back but the cellphone signal cut out. We couldn't see anything because it had already become dark. We called out their names, but all you could hear was silence."

Julius recalled the events. "We all fished together, had such a lovely afternoon. We all left at the same time to place the canoe and boat on the shore. We were heading for Lookout Beach's toilets and the small engine boat was ahead of us. We could still hear it. But minutes later we received a call from Leatitia, saying that they had hit a sandbank and that the engine would not start. We heard a loud bash after which there was only silence.

"We immediately asked one another what we should do to locate our family and friends. Then I just took the canoe and decided to canoe across the river to the nearest sandbank I saw near the river mouth because Leatitia had told her husband that they were stranded near the river mouth. As I canoed on the river, I called for them, but no one answered. I was near the river mouth and sandbank, but there was no boat or persons in sight. Being so close to the river mouth, I began to fear for my own life because the currents were just so strong," explained a distraught Julius, who currently lives with Leatitia's family.

Julius said that they then went to the nearby caravan park where they alerted a holiday-maker from Port Elizabeth, Philip Burger of the incident. He contacted the NSRI.

Scores of relatives and friends gathered at the scene, waiting day by day for news of the remaining fishermen still lost at sea while the search continued despite bad weather conditions over the weekend.

According to a family member of the Wildeman fishermen, the search will continue till Friday, August 17. Rumours were going around that the families of the victims would have to pay for the eight-day search. To this allegation, Captain Bernadine Steyn said, "The SAPS Diving Unit will normally search for five days, but extensions can be granted. SAPS never have nor will request payment after a certain period of time searching for and diving for the missing people."

It was also alleged by several family members of the victims, that the police had assured them that a metal detector would be brought to the scene to assist in detecting the boat's engine, but by late Tuesday, August 14 this detector had not yet arrived. Accoriding to the bereaved family members the police told them on Friday, August 10, that the detector would arrive over the weekend. "Permission for the utilisation of a metal detector has not yet been granted," said Steyn on Monday, August 13.

"Not having the metal detector to assist with the search, caused quite a stir amongst families and friends waiting day-by-day on the shore for a possible breakthrough. We don't want to make the divers' jobs difficult. We just want them to do all they possibly can to find my life partner, Roland and the other two men. I just want to see Roland's body. His children haven't seen him yet and we would like to find closure and finding his body would give us that. We were unhappy to hear that the search might have concluded on Wednesday, August 15, but luckily we were given an extension till Friday, August 17," said Belinda Solomons.

"We will always wonder, have this hole in our hearts. We will only find closure once their bodies are found. Not knowing where they are at this point in time, just makes it feel as if they will walk through the door with their fishing equipment, as if they were only gone for the day. It feels to me that Roland have just gone fishing and is to return tonight," she said.
She further said that should Roland's body not be found by Friday, the family will host a memorial service for Roland.

Dawid Wildeman said, "Should my brothers' bodies not be found by Tuesday evening, we will have to make arrangements for my wife and son to be laid to rest this Saturday. We would have loved to have a mass funeral for all of them."

Bitou's executive mayor, Memory Booysen expressed his condolences on behalf of the Plettenberg Bay community and municipality. "This is indeed a sad day for Plettenberg Bay. What makes it even more emotional is the fact that I know one of the victims, Llewellyn Wildeman. I am deeply sorry to hear about the affected families' loss. We will support the affected families in the best way we can. I extend our sincerest condolences to the families."

The families wish to thank the community for their support, the municipality as well as all the organisations and churches who have been supporting them during their time of grief. Steyn said, "Three men are still missing and the search continues today (Wednesday, August 15) in the form of foot patrols along the shore."

Several relatives and friends gathered on the shore anxiously waiting for news of several fishermen who drowned near the river mouth on Keurbooms River (Poortjies) on Thursday, August 9. Six New Horizon residents, Leatitia Wildeman, Luan Wildeman, Jeffrey Wildeman, Llewellyn Wildeman, Henry Waits, and Roland Figland lost their lives after their boat had apparently become stuck on a sandbank and presumably got swept out to sea.

ARTICLE: ROZANO ALIE, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST

Police monitor burning ship

CAPE TOWN – Officials are on hand to assist the owners of a French ship that was burning off the coast of Walvis Bay, Namibian police confirmed on Tuesday.

Last week, more than 50 crew members were evacuated from the Chamarel after a fire was reported on the vessel.

Most of the crew members were South African.

The vessel is owned by France Telecom.

The company is responsible for laying undersea fibre-optic cables.

Deputy Police Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi said the company has employed security officials to guard the ship.

He said police were called to the area after a chain that holds containers was stolen off the ship.

Kanguatjivi said one person was arrested and the chain was recovered.

Namibian maritime officials are monitoring the vessel.

- EWN

Divers recover body off Plettenberg Bay

CAPE TOWN – The body of a man, who is believed to have drowned during a Plettenberg Bay fishing trip, was recovered on Tuesday.

He and five other people went fishing at the Keurbooms River Mouth when their boat was swept out to sea.

The incident took place last week.

Officials recovered the bodies of a mother and her eight-year-old son the following day, and rescue personnel are still searching for three others.

The police's Bernadine Steyn said, “The body was seen offshore near Plettenberg Bay. SAPS divers were deployed and the body was recovered. DNA tests will be conducted to determine the identity of the body.”

At the same, Western Cape police confirmed that the search for a missing Montagu paramedic will only resume when water levels subside.

Mirriam Cekiso's ambulance veered off the Cogmanskloof Bridge and into a raging river last week.

Rescue teams found the ambulance, but the search for her body had to be postponed due to rising water levels.

The police's Frederick van Wyk said it is too dangerous for divers to enter the river.

“The ambulance was found on Wednesday and nobody was found in the vehicle. The search was called off on Saturday due to rain and rising water levels.”

- EWN

4 of 5 containers found washed ashore near Port Elizabeth

Wednesday, 18th July, MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) confirmed that in total five containers, one of which was found washed ashore near to the Gamtoos River Mouth yesterday, were washed off the deck of the Chinese Ship Anguan Gjing, sailing from Durban to Nigeria, over the past weekend in heavy sea storms, between Port Elizabeth and St Francis Bay.

The containers were reportedly lost overboard the ship over a period of a few days over this past weekends heavy sea swells.

Maritime navigational safety warnings were broadcast by Maritime Radio Services warning of the navigational hazard to shipping in that vicinity.

Today, Wednesday, 18th July, Police located a further three containers, two washed up in the same vicinity as the one from yesterday and one has washed up near to St Francis Bay.

The outstanding one container is either still adrift at sea or it may have washed ashore on a remote location and may not have been discovered yet.

MRCC has confirmed that all 5 containers are empty and present no environmental or health risk (it may be suspected that normal sea water could have now leaked into the containers).

No decisions have been taken yet by Maritime authorities on the salvage of the containers which are in remote areas on barely accessible stretches of coastline.


Craig Lambinon
Sea Rescue Communications

Hazardous containers adrift near Port Elizabeth

The unidentified large cylindrical shaped object about 6m long and 2m in diameter that has washed up on the beach between the Kabeljous Beach and the Gamtoos River Mouth. (Rieghard van Rensburg, NSRI)

Port Elizabeth - A huge cylinder measuring 6m and with a diameter of 2m, has washed ashore near St Francis Bay and the maritime radio service is continuously broadcasting a shipping navigation warning about two similar containers reported to be adrift as well.

The NSRI's Craig Lambinon said the object, scratched and badly rusted, was in an area which wasn't easily accessible.

He said the NSRI would be taking officials from the SA Maritime Safety Authority to the scene for an inspection on Wednesday morning.

Earlier, Roland Williams of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality said the incident was being treated as a marine safety issue.

He added, however, that people living along the coast should be made aware of the potential dangers.

Williams said the containers should, under no circumstances, be tampered with, because the contents are unknown.

He said should anyone see the missing containers or should they drift ashore, should immediately contact Port Control on 041 507 1911.

- News24

Tsunami debris adds to 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch'

LOS ANGELES -- The first wave has arrived. And now more and more tsunami debris is washing ashore on West Coast beaches seemingly every day.

From large docks, to a motorcycle, to boat buoys, states like Washington and Oregon are seeing most of the debris. But the hunt for larger masses of debris is underway, not on shore but instead deep into the Pacific.
NBC News was aboard the ORV Alguita , a southern California research vessel, as it departed Long Beach for one if its regular debris surveys. Within just a few minutes captain and researcher Charles Moore yelled out, “We have some plastic here!”

In his net he quickly collected a handful of confetti-size pellets, or what the captain calls “dangerous … and deadly” debris that can be swallowed by marine life, and are toxic to the environment. Unfortunately the find is fairly common offshore southern California. But what many are unaware of is the “virtual garbage dump” swirling around in the middle of the Pacific.

The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” a floating pile of debris too large and scattered to accurately measure, has been growing for the past 40 years -- and now the tsunami debris is making it even bigger. There’s some debate on where it begins and ends, though researchers agree it’s hundreds and hundreds of miles off the West Coast.

As explained by Moore, the garbage patch is essentially “big chunks of trash that are floating out in the ocean” … so big, in fact , Moore adds they are “creating new kinds of habitat.” Scientists say the garbage patch is a landfill of ocean debris that’s come together in a vortex of currents. Everything from fishing nets, to plastic bottles, and household goods that have been dumped or washed away converge in a system of currents that meet in the middle of the Pacific. The vortex draws debris floating in ocean currents and pulls them together, lumping them together where they can float for years.

An estimated 1.5 million tons of tsunami debris is believed to be in the Pacific. And while experts believe most of it will sink or never make it to shore, a good portion could add to an enormous problem out of sight … but not out of mind.

- MSNBC.COM

Freak wave hits fishing vessel, kills Cape mariner

A GROUP of fishermen spent an agonising 16 hours travelling to Port Elizabeth after their trawler was struck by a freak wave at sea – killing one of them and injuring another two.

The 50m Japanese tuna longliner arrived in Port Elizabeth at about 7am on Thursday after landing in difficulty at 3pm the previous day.

The vessel – which is similar to the longliner which ran aground in Clifton, Cape Town, last month – is called the Wakashio Maru 83 and is owned by the Maruwaka Suisan Company in Japan. The Maru is one of a fleet of vessels that operates along the Southern African coastline from their Cape Town offices.

The deceased has been identified as Achmat Hendricks, 19, of Cape Town.
Speaking from Cape Town, his aunt Zaibonesa Carelse said that the family had been devastated after hearing the news.

Carelse said Hendricks – who has two one-year-old children – had been contracted to work on the boat and had only been working for the company for about two months.
“When he got the job they sent him on a training course and then in the last week of May they put him on the vessel,” she said.

“He was very excited and wanted to study to become a maritime chief engineer.”
Hendricks’s uncle, Gasan Carolis, arrived in Port Elizabeth yesterday afternoon to collect his body. Hendricks was buried in Cape Town yesterday in keeping with Muslim religious beliefs.

Gardmed Ambulance owner Dave Gardner said one of the injured men had a laceration on the head and the other had a suspected broken leg and possible spinal injuries.
St Georges Hospital spokesman Natalie Henman said the two men were in a stable condition in the trauma unit .

- Daily Dispatch

Mosselbaai Duin rede tot kommer

MOSSELBAAI NUUSFLITS - ‘n Duin wat weens erosie besig is om mee te gee aan die seekant in Bayview is volgens inwoners gevaarlik omdat dit teenaan die ablusieblokke is en daar gereeld kinders en volwassenes in die omgewing is.

Volgens die woordvoerder van die munisipaliteit, Mnr Harry Hill, behoort die herstelwerk teen einde November 2012 voltooi te wees.

- Mossel Bay Advertiser

Hot water eases jellyfish stings

Los Angeles - There's a lot of folk remedies for treating a jellyfish sting, but science suggests that hot water and topical painkillers actually work the best - at least in North American waters.

Popularly promoted remedies range from vinegar to meat tenderiser to baking soda mixed with water. In a pinch, the victim - or a very good friend - might try urinating on the sting.

"Current research demonstrates variable response to treatment, often with conflicting results according to species studied, which contributes to considerable confusion about what treatment is warranted," wrote Nicholas Ward, at the University of California, San Diego, in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Though the American Heart Association and American Red Cross currently recommend using vinegar or a baking soda "slurry", followed by heat or ice, those remedies are based mainly on studies done in Australia and Indonesia, he added in an e-mail.

The jellyfish species there aren't commonly found in North American waters, so Ward said he and his colleagues studied medical literature for studies specific to North American and Hawaiian jellyfish, and found 19.

Based on those studies, it seems the most broadly effective remedies are simple hot water and creams containing the pain-numbing medication lidocaine.

Vinegar

"The principle behind the use of lidocaine is that it acts as a local anaesthetic [and] appears to inhibit the further discharge of nematocysts remaining on the skin," Ward said.

Nematocysts are the "venom sacs" jellyfish leave behind as a further insult after they sting. It's important to get those off the skin, because they can continue to release venom.

Simple hot water might help by "denaturing" and inactivating the venom, Ward said. But hot water might not be available at the beach, and not everybody carries lidocaine with them.

In that case, removing the venom sacs from the skin and washing the area with saltwater might help, though the sacs must be handled with care. The edge of a credit card, or something similar, might work well.

"The idea is to avoid crushing the sac and spreading venom, which wiping off with a towel could do," he said.

Vinegar does help with some species, such as bluebottles or Portuguese man-of-wars, which are mainly found off the coast of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico.

But vinegar may actually worsen the pain of stings from most North American jellyfish, as well as causing any remaining venom sacs to discharge, Ward said.

"Hot water and lidocaine appear more widely beneficial," he wrote.

- Reuters

SAWDIS: I recommend the use of hot water if you get stung by jellyfish or bluebottles. I recently got stung by bluebottles while swimming at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay. They really got hold of me in a bad way and I decided to leave for home immediately after I managed to scrape off the tentacles with sea sand. I took a long (20 minute) hot shower until the pain eased. It really worked for me. I would however not recommend vinegar or meat tenderizer. Rather use hot water to  relief the pain. Just a word of warning.  Some people are allergic to the venom of these sea creatures. If you experience fever, shock, and interference with heart and lung function seek medical attention. Stings may also cause death, although this is extremely rare. If pain persists or is intense, there is an extreme reaction, the rash worsens, a feeling of overall illness develops, a red streak develops between swollen lymph nodes and the sting, or either area becomes red, warm and tender get to your nearest hospital as soon as possible.