The body of an Ocean View skipper was found 50m off-shore at Brightwaters on the Atlantic side of Cape Point on Saturday after his boat capsized in dense fog. File picture
Cape Town - The body of an Ocean View skipper was found 50m off-shore at Brightwaters on the Atlantic side of Cape Point on Saturday after his boat capsized in dense fog.
Two others, aged 29 and 17, from Hout Bay, who were also on the boat, raised the alarm after they managed to get to safety.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Hout Bay station commander, Spencer Oldham, said NSRI Kommetjie, Simons Town and Hout Bay duty crews were activated after the Cape Medical Response and SANParks ranger raised the alarm.
“Two men arrived at the Cape Point main gate and reported that their boat had capsized at Brightwaters, 1.5 nautical miles south of Olifantsbospunt, during the early hours of the morning, and that their skipper was missing.
“They confirmed that they had both managed to reach the shore after their boat reportedly capsized in the surf zone in dense fog, and had then washed ashore. But they had found no signs of their skipper and they feared that he was missing in the surf zone.
“On arrival on the scene, the casualty boat was found beached and an extensive sea and shoreline search commenced for the missing 39-yearold skipper, a fisherman from Ocean View.
“It appears that the casualty boat may have been swamped by a wave before running aground on the shoreline.
“During the search the body of the man was located between 30 and 50m off-shore at Brightwaters and was recovered on to the NSRI rescue craft.”
Condolences have gone out to the family and friends of the deceased man, while police have opened an inquest docket.
Cape Argus