Gqeberha – At least 21 fishermen aboard a local fishing vessel were rescued after their boat caught fire about one nautical mile offshore of Noordhoek, near Gqeberha, on Monday evening, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed.
The incident occurred at about 17:52 on Monday, 12 January 2026, when the NSRI Gqeberha duty crew was alerted following reports from a member of the public who witnessed a fishing vessel ablaze at sea.
“At the same time, NSRI duty controllers and Telkom Maritime Radio Services intercepted a Mayday distress call on VHF marine channel 16 from the fishing vessel Silver Dorado, reporting a fire onboard and that all 21 crew were preparing to abandon ship,” the NSRI said.
NSRI rescue crews were immediately activated, with shore teams dispatched to Noordhoek while rescue craft Bay Guardian and Rescue 6 Alpha were launched.
Critical role
Emergency services, including Eastern Cape Government Health EMS and the South African Police Service, were also placed on alert, alongside the Transnet National Ports Authority, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
According to the NSRI, local fishing vessels in the area played a critical role in the rescue after responding to the Mayday call.
“A local fishing vessel, Leguga, arriving on the scene, launched their own life-raft to assist fishermen who were in the water near their burning vessel,” the NSRI said.
By the time additional vessels arrived, all 21 crew members had abandoned the burning vessel. The NSRI reported that Leguga rescued 12 fishermen, while the fishing vessels Raka and Maverick each rescued four crew members, and Vulcan rescued one.
“All 21 casualty crew were rescued by the local fishing vessels that had gone to her assistance. All 21 crew were accounted for and reported to be safe,” the NSRI confirmed, adding that the men are believed to be South African nationals.
NSRI rescue craft later transferred the fishermen from the assisting vessels to the NSRI rescue base at the Port of Port Elizabeth, where they were medically assessed.
“All 21 men were medically checked by EMS paramedics and confirmed to be not injured and requiring no medical care,” the NSRI said.
Preliminary information suggests the fire spread rapidly after being discovered by the skipper.
Undetermined causes
“It appears that a fire from undetermined causes spread fast after being discovered onboard by the skipper. We believe the remaining 20 crew were resting in bunks when the alarm was raised, forcing them to abandon ship without time to launch their own life-raft,” the NSRI said.
The burning vessel later drifted toward Cape Recife and remained ablaze near a reef. SAMSA has confirmed that the vessel’s owners have appointed a salvage and spill-response company, although recovery efforts have been hampered by hazardous conditions and darkness.
The cause of the fire will be investigated by SAMSA and the South African Police Service. An all-ships navigational warning has been issued by Telkom Maritime Radio Services to alert vessels in the area.
The NSRI commended the swift actions of eyewitnesses, emergency responders and local fishing crews, saying their coordinated efforts “saved all 21 lives.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
