Why Phone a Friend and NOT the NSRI?

Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander, said; “At 08h20 on Wednesday 24 April, NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of two boats in difficulty 1 nautical mile off-shore of Cape Recife.

“It appears that a 7 meter rigid inflatable boat lost engine and electrical mechanical power and phoned a friend to come and help. While trying to tow the boat the bow was pulled off the boat leaving both boats reportedly in trouble in very calm sea conditions.

“We launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF TOFT into increasingly rough sea conditions and on arrival on-scene we found only the one boat adrift at sea close to shore with 3 young men onboard. Reportedly the second boat had managed to get to shore unassisted.

“The casualty boat was towed by SPIRIT OF TOFT to the Port of Port Elizabeth, there were no injuries sustained, and once ashore they required no further assistance.

“SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) will investigate the causes of the boat losing all power.”

Editor’s Notes: Sounds fishy to me – why phone a friend and NOT the NSRI. In any event the NSRI are to be praised for sticking to their credo of assisting ALL in peril on the sea regardless of what suspicious minds such as mine think. I suspect that their exemplary devotion to duty will help change the minds of the guilty.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE

Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.

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