Nine crewmen rescued and one died in Port Elizabeth

Mluleki Mrwebi
26 January 2014

The National Sea Rescue Institute in Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew were placed on alert to prepare to launch to rendezvous with the 134 meter refrigeration vessel HUAN YU 1, a reefer, en route from Singapore to the Falkland Islands, to casualty evacuate injured crew and to assist in the removal to shore of a deceased crewman.

NSRI Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the victims of a reported refrigeration gas leak onboard the ship reported to have happened at sea. 

Lambinon said 9 patients were taken off the ship, transferred onto the sea rescue craft, and the body of the deceased man was brought onto the sea rescue craft.

He added that police detectives boarded the ship to initiate investigations, part of an inquest opened by Police, into the reported gas leak accident that is believed to have been caused by the death of one crewman and injured 9 crewman.