South Africa News

Sailors en route to Cape Town plucked from life raft in deep-sea rescue

Two sailors were rescued and one is presumed drowned after their yacht sank about 2,400km southwest of Cape Town this week, the South African Maritime Safety Authority has confirmed.

The sailors were rescued on Wednesday from a life raft after swift intervention by South Africa’s Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre which requested a passing ship, the FRONT POLLUX, to divert its course to the accident location. The yacht, NINA POPE, had been on its way to Cape Town from Tristan da Cunha, Samsa said on Friday.

“Despite challenging conditions, with winds up to 74km/h and sea swells of up to eight metres, the FRONT POLLUX managed to recover two male survivors from a life raft near the reported position,” it said. “Unfortunately, a third seafarer, the skipper of the NINA POPE and a German national, could not be saved and is presumed to have gone down with the vessel.

“The survivors, one with dual Swiss/US citizenship and the other Brazilian, have since communicated with their respective embassies in Cape Town, facilitated by the FRONT POLLUX. Both individuals did not require medical assistance and are currently en route to Cape Town. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) emergency operations centre (EOC) is assisting with their arrival early next week.”

Samsa commended the various stakeholders involved for a remote rescue under difficult circumstances.

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Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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