Four people were rescued after their small cabin ski-boat capsized offshore between Vermont and Hawston, Hermanus, on Saturday, 15 March.
The dramatic rescue unfolded after eyewitness reports of the incident prompted a swift response from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Hermanus.
At approximately 12:40 p.m., NSRI Hermanus was alerted while its duty crew was returning from a routine training exercise. Fishermen along the shoreline had noticed the capsized boat and people clinging to its upturned hull about 100 meters from shore. As fog began to lift, further eyewitness reports confirmed the distress situation, prompting immediate action.
NSRI rescue craft, Leonard Smith and JetRib Rescue 17 Bravo, were dispatched, and Western Cape Government Health EMS was also activated. Upon arrival, rescuers found the four casualties—a father, 49, and his son, 17, from Somerset West, along with two 14-year-old boys from Stellenbosch—clinging to the upturned hull. They had been in the water for more than seven hours since their boat capsized.
The family and their friends had been out on a fishing trip when, in flat calm seas at around 5:30 a.m., a small wave unexpectedly capsized their boat while they were at anchor. The group was thrown into the water, and the father initially feared his son had drowned when he disappeared under the boat. However, the son resurfaced, though he was unconscious and lapsing in and out of consciousness, possibly due to a head injury.
The four victims, who had remained close to the boat in the fog, were rescued and treated for hypothermia and injuries. The son’s condition was of particular concern, and he was taken to the hospital alongside the others for further treatment. All four are expected to recover fully.
NSRI teams continued their efforts to right the capsized boat, which was eventually towed back to Hermanus Harbor. A separate crew had also collected the father’s vehicle and boat trailer from Hawston and transported it to the hospital for the families.
The families, who were on a weekend vacation, expressed gratitude for the quick response of the eyewitnesses and rescuers. They have requested privacy as they recover from the ordeal.
The NSRI commended the anglers and beachgoers who raised the alarm, emphasizing their crucial role in ensuring a swift and successful rescue.
