Anglers saved after boat drama

2006-02-20 08:45

Kim Snyders

Johannesburg - Four KwaZulu-Natal anglers clung to their capsized ski boat for 18 hours at the weekend before being rescued.

The men's ski boat, the Nazambane, capsized at about 16:30 on Saturday and they drifted into sea during the course of the night. Etienne Nortje, Herbert van Antwerp, and Sipho and Joseph Ntetwa apparently had to dive into the upturned boat to fetch emergency flares and food.

They were rescued on Sunday morning near Umvoti, said National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon.

He said the men were reported missing when they failed to return to their ski boat club on Saturday afternoon.

An NSRI boat as sent and searched the whole night, without success.

"When they hadn't found anything by morning, two more NSRI boats were sent," Lambinon said.

Private boats, two helicopters and a microlight also joined the search.

The group were spotted by a Natal Sharks Board plane at about 09:30 clinging to the hull near Umvoti river mouth.

The anglers last made radio contact from Nazambane at 14:00 on Saturday, Lambinon said.

"Flares that were seen around 16:00 were believed to have been from their boat.

After being rescued the men were taken to Tugela mouth, where a doctor attended to them. They are all in good condition and did not need further treatment, Lambinon said.

- Beeld