A little bit more info here but not too much.
Air and Sea Rescue going on ..
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_i...1554712186B262
From News 24 : Full details
Quote:
Johannesburg - At least 14 people have gone missing after a fishing trawler collided with a container vessel and sunk off Port Elizabeth early on Sunday.
Ian Gray, the National Sea Rescue Institute\'s Port Elizabeth station commander, said they were alerted to the collision about 01:39 on Sunday.
The collision took place about 9.5 nautical miles off Sardinia Bay, about 10 nautical miles (by road) from Port Elizabeth.
Gray said: "It appears the 178m reefer Euro da Brazil, sailing from Singapore to Brazil, collided broadside on the port side of the 30m chokka fishing vessel Lindsay.
The Lindsay, with 17 crew on board, sank shortly afterwards.
Two people were rescued and taken to a Port Elizabeth hospital.
An extensive air and sea rescue, involving 12 craft, was launched for the rest of the crew.
Gray said the crews of two NSRI boats and two air force helicopters were searching the area since first light. Private boats, fishing vessels and others ships in the area were also alerted to the missing crew.
Preparing to drop anchor
Gray said: "Metro rescue and ambulance services, Port Elizabeth fire and rescue services, police services and Netcare 911 ambulance services have been activated and are assisting."
A joint operations control centre was established at the NSRI base in Port Elizabeth.
"The immediate search area plotted spans approximately 21 square nautical miles. "
"Port Elizabeth port control has fixed-wing aircraft on stand-by to assist, including a twin-engine light aircraft belonging to John English of Progress air school."
Hospitals in Port Elizabeth have been placed on stand-by.
Gray said: "According to information obtained from the skipper of the sunken vessel they were preparing to drop anchor when the collision took place.
"A crewman was rescued shortly after the collision by the Euro de Brazil, and he is in a satisfactory condition."
The skipper of Lindsay was rescued by the fishing vessel Lincoln about 02:40. He was suffering from suspected rib fractures, breathing difficulty and suspected inhalation and ingestion of diesel and diesel fumes. Both were in shock and were treated by NSRI medics.
Crew were asleep
Gray said: "It is understood that most (or all) of the remaining crew (15 men) were asleep in forward compartments when the accident occurred. The vessel sank about 20 seconds after impact."
Swells were up to five metres and a southwesterly wind was expected to reach 20 knots.
He said: "There is a wide and long debris field and all four of Lindsay\'s life-rafts have been found as well as life-jackets (unused) and flotsam and debris have been located by rescuers. By 06:40 there was still no sign of any of the missing crew."
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Very sad news !!
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