Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban station commander, said; “At 14h15 on Sunday 10 June, NSRI Durban volunteer sea rescue duty crew, who were at the NSRI Durban sea rescue base at the time conducting routine maintenance and routine training, were activated following a request for assistance from the Point Yacht Club safety boat reporting that the local 42 foot yacht Belissima, with 7 crew onboard, taking part in a routine Sunday yacht club regatta, had suffered rudder failure and was now taking water in 4.5 meter breaking swells and a 35 knot South Westerly wind, at the Fairway Buoy, 2.5 nautical miles off-shore of the Port of Durban.
“Our NSRI Durban volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Megan II (a 7.5 meter rigid inflatable rescue boat) and on arrival on-scene the yacht was secured and all of her crew found to be safe but, because of the rough sea conditions, the decision was taken not to attempt to tow the yacht to Port using Megan II and our sea rescue craft Eikos Rescuer II (a 10 meter deep-sea rescue boat) was launched and once on-scene Eikos Rescuer II took the casualty yacht under tow and she was safely towed into Port and once safely berthed no further assistance was required.”
