GEO SEARCHER

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Crew of sunken ship returned home

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) concluded the biggest sea rescue mission in SA in over a decade. The 60 crew members of the 'Geo Searcher', 47 of whom were South African citizens, arrived in Cape Town on Oct 26 at the end of a more than 3,000-mile journey. Everyone was reported to be healthy and in good spirits, although two individuals had suffered minor injuries during the evacuation of the ship to Gough Island in the South Atlantic which had struck a rock and began sinking at the stern on Oct 15. The 62 crew members evacuated in life rafts and the ship’s small boats taking shelter at a weather station on Gough Island. SAMSA through its Sea Watch and Rescue operation at the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town received the distress calls from the Geo Searcher. They coordinated the rescue operations with various state departments, including the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), owners of the 'SA Agulhas II', which disembarked a group of passengers that were on board from a research mission and departed Cape Town late on Oct 15 to undertake the rescue. Captain Knowledge Bengu encountered heavy seas and winds delaying their arrival at the remote island. It took the 'SA Agulhas II' four days to reach Gough Island. When it reached the island on Oct 20, the weather was unfavourable to conduct any flight operations, and it was decided to call off the operation for the day. The following day, as soon as there was a weather opening, the airlift began from Gough despite continuing challenges with the weather. It had been determined that the seas were too rough to transfer the crew by boat from the island. The airlift required more than two hours to complete. In addition to rescuing the stranded seafarers, the 'SA Agulhas II' also conducted an environmental inspection for oil spillage around the wrecksite before departing the area. They proceeded to Tristan da Cunha for a brief stop, where two residents from the rescued crew were returned home. After a four-day voyage to return to Cape Town, the 'SA Agulhas II' with the remaining 60 rescued seafarers berthed at Eastern Mole 1 at the port of Cape Town on the evening of Oct 26. After being cleared immigration and health inspections, the seafarers disembarked. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/seafarers-stranded-after-fishing-vessel-sunk-arrive-in-south-africa

Sinking ship abandoned

The 62 crew members of the 'Geo Searcher' had to abandoned ship on Oct 15, 2020, at 10.30 p.m. about one mile off the northern coast of Gogh island. The vessel was engaged in research work in the island waters when it struck a rock off the island in the morning and began taking on water in the engine room. The vessel subsequently sank in the afternoon. SA manages a research station on Gough Island, which is only 11 km long with an area of 91km². The seafarers managed to climb into lifeboats and other on-board small craft before making their way from the northern point of the island around to the southern region close to the SA research station. They were assisted ashore and are all reported to be accounted for. It has been reported that one seafarer sustained some minor injuries. The South African research vessel 'SA Agulhas II' has been dispatched to collect the seafarers, and is expected to reach Gough Island on Oct 19.