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Most peculiar of the rescue was that the first small boat at the scene was shellfish and crayfish poachers. They dived underneath and helped most many trapped to the surface.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) statement:
SEA RESCUE – HOUT BAY – Monday, 15th October, 2012. Sea Rescue Joint Operations Command:
In response to the sea rescue operation of the capsizing of the Miroshga on Saturday, 13th October, 2012, at Bakleiplaas, between Duiker Island and Duiker Point, on The Atlantic Seaboard, Hout Bay.
The Joint Operations Command and the Emergency Services extend sincerest condolences to the family of John Roberts and the family of Peter Philip Hyett.
I would like to thank in no particular order:
• NSRI Stations 2,3 and 8
• Darren Zimmerman, NSRI rescue helicopter duty controller, for his standby for air support
• Ian Klopper and his team for managing the entire Triage Operation which included verifying the casualty numbers which was so vital in determining who we still had to find.
• Dr Cleeve Robertson and the Metro EMS Team from WC Government Health Emergency Medical Services who supplied wise advice, physical onsite evaluation on both days at sea and of course all of the medical, rescue, logistics, communications and counseling support during both days
• Skymed EMS Helicopter (Red Cross Air Mercy Services)
• Charter Boats Nuaticat (Mark Coetzee), Extravagant (Sean Amor), Captain Sea (Gary Thompson), Whitmore (JJ De Villiers), Alfonso Whichman and his boat Crew and Ken Evans Circe Launches
• Cape Town Disaster Management and Law Enforcement
• Cape Town Fire & Rescue Services
• SA Police Services Visible Policing and the Hout Bay SAPS Team
• SA Police Services Diving Unit
• Metro EMS Technical Dive Unit
• SA Navy and the SA Navy Diving Unit from Simonstown
• Netcare 911 and ER24
• Hout Bay Volunteer EMS
• Emergency Medical Treatment and Training
• Critical Care Retrieval System
• Cape Medical Response and Camps Bay Community Medics
• Ronin
• Hout Bay Neighborhood Watch
• ADT and Watchcon and their Radio Control Centre in Hout Bay for the HBNHW
• MRCC, SAMSA and The Department of International Relations and Cooperation RSA
• NPA and the Harbour Master of Cape Town as well as Deputy Harbour Master Sydney Minaar who was present in the JOC on both days
• MEC for Tourism Alan Winde and the support of his department and the Foreign Consulates who assisted
• Deputy Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries who was present in the JOC for both Days
• Andy Wood and Andre van Schalkwyk and their WASAR Team who conducted the ground search on Sunday.
• CT Metro Police and Traffic Department and all hospitals that received and cared for patients
• MCM and their management for assisting with the control of access to the harbour during the operation
• SA Air Force Squadron 22 for going on standby for us
• The Press for their indulgence, patience and ultimately good reporting of the operation
• The Community of Hout Bay who opened up their hearts and homes and supplied blankets, dry clothing, food and drink and in many cases personally came to the Base to help with the patient counseling and comforting
• Bronwyn and her team of Trauma Counsellors who worked with all of the bereaved on both days.
• Last but not least, the small poaching boat whose crew gallantly got into the water and helped save passengers into rescue craft. One was seen to be holding a child in his arms all the way back to harbour whereupon he handed the child to waiting medical staff and disappeared.
The amazing thing is how everyone pulled together regardless of background or where they came form but made this terrible incident into a remarkable rescue.
Thanks
Brad Geyser
NSRI Station 8
Hout Bay
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