The NSRI Yzerfontein team started the week with a rescue after a 42-foot (12,8 m) sailing yacht ran aground at Dassen Island.
André Livingstone-Louw, NSRI Yzerfontein duty commander, said: “At 04:30 on Monday (28 March) the NSRI Yzerfontein duty crew were activated following reports of a yacht aground on Dassen Island, West Coast.
“The sea rescue craft Rescue 34 was launched and on arrival on the scene we found the three yachtsmen were safely ashore and one crewman had sustained an injury,” he said, “but he was in a stable and satisfactory condition.”
According to Livingstone-Louw, the sailing yacht was aground on the Eastern side of Dassen Island and lying on a rock and appearing to have sustained structural damage.
“With storm weather approaching we established a towline and later during the morning, in the incoming tide, we gently towed the yacht off the rocks and towed the yacht onto the beach where there is less likelihood of serious damage.”
It was confirmed that structural damage to one side of the yacht caused an ingress of water. Anchor lines were established above the high-water mark.
A temporary repair was done to the side of the yacht in an effort to reduce the ingress of water. The owner and one of the crewmen remained at the yacht and arranged for salvage.
The crewman with the injury was brought to Yzerfontein aboard the NSRI sea rescue craft and had made arrangements to see a doctor.
