Following the loss after a fire on board of Sea Harvest fishing vessel Armana, South Africa’s Minister for Transport Barbara Creecy has instructed the board chair of South African Maritime Authority (SAMSA), Fakir Mahesh, to conduct urgent safety inspections of all commercial fishing vessels operating in South African waters.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a distress message that the Armana, owned by Viking Fishing Company, was on fire approximately 60 nautical miles off Gansbaai in the Western Cape at the weekend. The crew abandoned ship and were rescued by Ludwani, which was operating in the same area. No fatalities have been reported, although the 62-year-old converted side trawler is now believed to have sunk.
SAMSA is currently conducting an urgent investigation into the incident to establish the root cause and determine whether any regulatory breaches occurred.
‘I must express my concern about the increasing number of incidents involving fishing vessels in our waters. This year alone, we have witnessed no fewer than five significant incidents, tragically resulting in the loss of 18 lives. Such incidents are deeply concerning, and it is clear that we must take immediate action to improve the safety of our fishing fleet,’ Barbara Creecy said.
‘As a result, I have instructed SAMSA to conduct safety audit inspections on all fishing vessels operating in South African waters that are in our register, and present a report as soon as possible. Furthermore, SAMSA has also been instructed to develop a fishing vessel safety improvement plan aimed at preventing future incidents and ensuring that vessels operating in our waters meet the highest safety standards. The safety of maritime workers is a matter of national priority.’
