Free Moment Freed From Shark Nets MyZA

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban station commander, said; “On 18 June at 15h30 NSRI Durban volunteers were activated following a request for assistance from the local 33 foot Bayliner, Free Moment with 5 local males onboard reported to have sustained engine failure and reported to have drifted into the shark nets off-shore of uShaka Marine World – Durban North, and reporting to have their boats motors propellors fouled (entangled/trapped) in the shark nets and they were unable to get them free.

Our NSRI Durban duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Megan II and on arrival on-scene, in 1 meter choppy sea swells and a 20 knot Easterly wind, we found the 5 local men safe but their boat was not able to go anywhere as they had fouled the props (motor propellors) in the shark nets which were well wrapped around the props.

2 NSRI rescue swimmers were put into the water to free dive to evaluate the ‘damage’ and it was determined that the only way to free the propellors from the shark nets would require some cutting of the nets and some untangling of the nets.

Our 2 NSRI rescue swimmers set to work and the propellors were soon freed from the shark nets and we then towed the Bayliner with all her 5 crew onboard to the Port of Durban where they were moored safely at their moorings.

(The reason for towing the casualty boat to Port was due to a small amount of netting that was left wrapped around the propellors which we needed not risk trying to remove at sea)”

No one was injured in the incident and the casualty boats engines appear to not have sustained any damage and once in the safety of Port it was confirmed that the boats engines started without any trouble.

The Natal Sharks Board were informed and we believe they did repair the damage to their nets today on Sunday 19 June.”