Man missing after boat capsizes off Cape Point

A 37-year-old man is missing after a small fishing ski-boat capsized at Bellows Rock southwest of Cape Point on Saturday.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesman Craig Lambinon said two men, aged 37 and 40, had launched the ski-boat at 5am at Miller’s Point.

The NSRI Simon’s Town duty crew had been activated at 1.34pm after reports from a monitoring fishing vessel off Cape Point, he said.

The vessel had come across the capsized boat and had rescued a 40-year-old local man found clinging to the boat.

Various emergency services responded including NSRI Hout Bay and a City spotter plane.

According to Mr Lambinon, the survivor, who was taken aboard an NSRI rescue craft and treated for hypothermia and injuries, told how the boat had capsized in light waves. He and the other man had clung to the upturned hull before the missing man had tried to swim for shore and had not been seen since.

The missing man had not been wearing a life jacket and had used a fuel tank as a floatation device. The fuel tank was later located and recovered.

Despite an extensive air and sea search, there remained no sign of the missing man, and SAPS and the South African Maritime Safety Authority were investigating, Mr Lambinon said.

“NSRI is appealing to the local maritime community, commercial and recreational fishermen, and vessels passing through the search area, to be vigilant and to keep a sharp lookout in the vicinity of Bellows Rock, 4 nautical southwest of Cape Point and South of Bellows Rock.”