Fishing Vessel MFV Armana Catches Fire Off South African Coast, All Crew Rescued
Twenty crew members aboard the fishing vessel MFV Armana were safely rescued after their ship caught fire off the coast of South Africa. The incident occurred on Sunday, October 13, when the 62-year-old vessel was approximately 60 nautical miles offshore from Gansbaai. The fire broke out early in the morning, forcing the crew to abandon the ship and triggering a swift emergency response coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town.
The rescue operation involved the MFV Ludwani, another vessel owned by the Sea Harvest Group, which was immediately mobilized to save the crew of the MFV Armana. All 20 crew members were successfully rescued and safely transported to Cape Town, where they arrived at 19:45 local time on Sunday evening. A SAMSA spokesperson confirmed the safe arrival and disembarkation of all crew members from the abandoned vessel, and praised the coordinated efforts that led to their safe recovery.
Following the successful rescue, SAMSA deployed the MFV Harvest Saldanha to monitor the abandoned Armana and dispatched the Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Umkhuseli to tow the damaged vessel to safety. However, early Monday morning, sight of the MFV Armana was lost, and despite an extensive search effort, the vessel could not be relocated. At 13:00 on Monday, SAMSA officially called off the search, presuming that the vessel had sunk. A safety navigational warning was issued to alert other ships in the vicinity of the last known position of the MFV Armana.
In response to this serious maritime incident, South Africa’s Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, instructed SAMSA to conduct immediate safety inspections on all commercial fishing vessels operating in South African waters. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with SAMSA committed to working closely with industry stakeholders to develop a comprehensive safety improvement plan for fishing vessels. This plan is intended to prevent future accidents and enhance the overall safety standards for commercial fishing operations in the region.