MOSSEL BAY, Western Cape — A multi-agency search operation has been officially terminated off the coast of South Africa’s Western Cape following a tragic maritime accident that claimed the lives of three seafarers and left two others missing.
The fatal sequence of events began on Wednesday, September 30, aboard the Umkhuseli, an AMSOL-operated rescue tug working near an offshore platform roughly 47 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay. According to preliminary reports from maritime authorities, a crew member fell into the ocean while performing routine duties on the vessel’s deck.
In an immediate effort to save their colleague, four crew members launched a fast rescue craft from the Umkhuseli. However, the small vessel capsized during the recovery maneuver, plunging all five men into the water.
The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Cape Town quickly coordinated a massive response to the man-overboard incident. Aviation units, police helicopters, the National Sea Rescue Institute, and nearby commercial ships were diverted to the scene to assist in the recovery. Despite the extensive effort, only three individuals were pulled from the water.
The search paused overnight and restarted at dawn on Thursday, October 1. However, after evaluating sea conditions and reviewing all operational data, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) made the decision to halt the active search later that afternoon.
The AMSOL tug Inkanyezi was dispatched to the area to assist and remained on standby to monitor the site after the official search was called off.
All five men involved have been identified as AMSOL employees. The maritime company has launched an internal review, which will run parallel to external probes conducted by SAMSA and the Department of Transport. Additionally, SAMSA has opened its own separate preliminary investigation into the circumstances surrounding the capsizing.
AMSOL Chief Executive Dan Ngakane stated that the company is actively communicating with the relatives of the five crew members, offering support and keeping them informed as the investigations progress and confirmed details emerge.
