BOAT DEATH DRAMA
Two drown, one missing as KZN Sharks Board boat flips at Newark Beach
HAD it not been for the early arrival of Alkantstrand lifeguard Shakier ‘Shakes’ Hiraman at work yesterday (Wednesday) morning, two more crew members of a KZN Sharks Board boat that capsized in rough surf could well have lost their lives.
As it was, two drowned and another is still missing after the tragic incident, which occurred at about 6.45am when the Sharks Board was carrying out routine servicing of the shark nets at Newark Beach.
Hiraman, the hero of the hour, had instinctively responded as the incident unfolded before him..
‘Shortly after I arrived at the office, I saw the boat was in the surf zone - a danger zone for any boat
- and I wanted to film it getting out so I reached for my camera,’ said Hiraman, Chief Sports and Recreation Officer at Alkantstrand Beach.
‘I then saw the boat flip and straight away I changed into my lifeguard shorts, took four torpedo buoys and a rescue tube, and went into the sea.
‘I first came across Richard Gumede the skipper, who was floating face down. I managed to get him to shore but he had no pulse.
‘I had seen two other crew members on top of the capsized boat but tangled in the nets, so when I went back into the sea I took a knife to free them from the nets.
‘Once cut free, I swam the two of them to the beach.’
Mandla Gumede, who was the second to be declared dead on scene, was also entangled in the nets.
His body was freed from the nets and taken ashore by NSRI crew members who by then had been notified and had launched their rescue vessel Spirit of Round Table.
By this time, Transnet National Ports Authority had sent the port chopper to conduct sea searches for the fifth crew member.
A Sharks Board fixed wing aircraft joined in the search and police search and rescue divers are continuing the ongoing search operation.
While it was initially unclear as to whether there were four or five Sharks Board members aboard the vessel, the Sharks Board dolphin research camera captured footage of the crew members working on the shark nets and it was confirmed that five crew were aboard the boat.
The camera was installed at Alkantstrand Beach last year to enable an ongoing scientific study to monitor the interaction between endangered Humpback dolphins and the shark nets, with a view to positioning the nets so as to limit dolphin bycatch.
Sihle Zikalala, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, under whose department the KZN Sharks Board falls, immediately visited the scene and consoled the family of Richard Gumede.
‘This freak accident is a major blow for both the department and the Sharks Board.
‘Richard was a very experienced skipper who had been in this job for 18 years.
‘This tragedy is a painful experience and the first of its kind in the history of the Sharks Board.’
Zikalala paid his respects to Richard’s family, whose wife Prudence and two children, Lwandile and Linda were in shock but appreciated the visit.
Richard Gumede had during his years of service received numerous awards of appreciation, including a long-service award in 2014 after 15 years of service and a best attendance award for recording nil absenteeism between August 2016 and September 2017.
At the time of going to print, Eric Buthelezi and S’Qiniseko Ngobese were still in hospital but expected to make a full recovery, while Siyabonga Gabela remained lost at sea.