NSRI assists beached yacht

A YACHT beached at Yzerfontein on the West Coast two weeks ago was successfully re-floated at the weekend, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said yesterday.

“On Saturday, NSRI Yzerfontein duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Rotary Onwards to tow the yacht Flee that had beached in Yzerfontein two weeks ago,” said NSRI Yzerfontein station commander Willem Lubbe.

Using the new moon spring tide, NSRI Yzerfontein assisted the yacht’s owner, his friends, and locals to get the yacht off the beach.

NSRI Yzerfontein towed the yacht towards Saldanha Bay and NSRI Mykonos launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Freemasonry to take over the tow in the vicinity of Kreefbaai, and towed the yacht to Saldanha Bay without incident.

All who assisted were commended for their involvement, Lubbe said.

About two weeks ago NSRI Yzerfontein was activated at about 9pm following eyewitness reports of what appeared to be navigation lights coming from a boat close inshore of Yzerfontein Point.

The eyewitnesses on closer inspection confirmed that there appeared to be a yacht in the surf-line, washing towards rocks at 16 Mile Beach, Lubbe said at the time.

“Our sea rescue vehicle and sea rescue quad bike were dispatched to investigate and on arrival at the scene we found a yacht washed on to the rocks and a 66-year-old Cape Town man on the beach, safe, wearing a life-jacket and safety gear.

“He confirmed that he was the solo sailor of the yacht Flee.

“His yacht ran aground in swells and he had managed to get off the yacht on to the beach.” – ANA