'Miracle' as crew survive crash
2005-04-18 22:08
Cape Town - Gavin Cosgrove, captain of an eight-ton yacht, Dolphin, said on Monday it was a miracle he and two crew had escaped death when a container ship crashed into their boat.
The crash, with the giant container ship, Gisela Oldendorff, happened off Robben Island on Sunday.
Describing their escape as a "miracle", Cosgrove said the ship - "which is as big as the Cape Grace Hotel" - passed us, "but apparently misjudged the distance and bumped into the yacht".
The ship measures 150m in length and weighs about 14 000 tons.
Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), said the yacht sent out a mayday signal as the crew thought they might sink.
"Members of the NSRI, who were close to the yacht at the time, realised the crew were not in danger as they were able to pump out the water.
"The Gisela Oldendorff was also close at hand to help if it had been necessary."
Yacht took on water
Cosgrove said the force of the crash with the cargo ship had caused the yacht to tilt over. It immediately started taking on water.
"I grabbed the wheel and turned with all my strength. The yacht righted itself and floated. Fortunately, we were able to pump out the water."
Cosgrove said they had been in the cabin shortly before the crash: "We realised too late that there was a big problem."
On Monday, he did not want to estimate the extent of the damage to the yacht, except to say it was extensive.
"The deck is smashed, there is a hole in the hull and electrical equipment was flooded.
"I am just happy that we had nothing more serious than a few scrapes. It is a miracle.
"To think we were chatting away happily when this big thing, that looked like a grey wall, passed us."
Cosgrove said that immediately after the crash they had to work furiously to save the boat.
The yacht had been on its way from Langebaan on the West Coast to Hout Bay. It docked in Cape Town harbour on Sunday night.