On Friday noon, 15 September, 68 passengers and crew members onboard the Robben Island passenger ferry “Thandi” were evacuated, after the ship was reported to be taking water, off Table Bay, South Africa, the Transnet National Ports Authority informed.
Responding to the ferry’s distress call, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) activated NSRI Table Bay duty crew. The NSRI Table Bay sea rescue craft Spirit of Day and Spirit of Vodacom were launched to join the Robben Island passenger ferry Madiba 1 that were already on the scene.
A JOC (Joint Operations Control) was set up at the TNPA Control Tower and rescue craft were directed from the NSRI Table Bay rescue base.
On arrival on the scene, the ferry was found to be listing to one side from water intake from unknown causes and some of the passengers were found to be in life rafts. The remaining crew and passengers were on the deck of the casualty ferry.
All passengers and crew of the casualty ferry were transferred by NSRI “Spirit of Day” from the casualty ferry and from life rafts onto the Madiba 1 and onto NSRI’s Spirit of Vodacom and brought to the Port of Table Bay, where they were assessed by paramedics and only a few passengers were treated for mild hypothermia.
One local passenger and one local employee were transported to hospital as a precaution. All passengers and crew are accounted for.
SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) is alerted and will conduct an investigation into the cause of the vessel taking water. Efforts are being made to recover the ferry.
