IN PICS | Tragedy hits as sardine boat flips at sea off KZN south coast

A Durban skipper died and a diver is missing after their boat capsized at Umgababa main beach between Scottburgh and Amanzimtoti on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast on Tuesday.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said search and rescue teams responded to an alert from eThekwini surf lifeguards of a 5.5m inflatable boat used for commercial fishing that had flipped at the backline surf zone with its four-man crew.

He said lifeguards responded while fellow boats in the area also assisted to rescue the crew.

“Three of the four men were rescued from the surf zone to the shore by eThekwini lifeguards and fellow fishermen. However, one man remained missing. One of the three rescued, the skipper, is suspected to have suffered a medical condition while he was on the beach.”

Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate skipper Goolam Fareed Essack.

Lambinon said a private aircraft and police helicopter conducted an aerial search for the missing man while lifeguards and other search and rescue continued shoreline searches.

The crew were attempting to net a shoal of sardines which began arriving as part of the annual migration of the fish between June and November. 

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