Horror in Hout Bay

According to the Cape Times, the Miroshga, an 11m twin-hulled boat purpose-built in 2002 for whale watching and recently restored to carry 42 passengers, capsized at about 3pm off Duiker Island. According to some reports, the boat had apparently been taking on water after a wave broke over the stern and the port engine failed. The waterlogged boat had drifted towards the inshore zone, and was pushed over by a wave.

Earlier reports had said that 4 people had died but authorities confirmed on Sunday that two had died and those missing were accounted for.

NSRI rescuers as well as several other charter boats managed to rescue many of the people who had fallen into the sea, with several videos recorded (see Wavescape Facebook page to video posted by Cape Times). It was a large-scale operation with 24 people taken to hospital.

According to the Cape Times story in today's paper, one woman survived by getting into a small cupboard where "a pocket of air kept her alive".

"With a broken thumb and her body temperature dropping dangerously low", she and two UK tourists hung to the inside of the boat for four hours before being rescued.

The first strong SE of summer had blasted for three days, and upwelling had created frigid water temperatures. It's amazing they could survive that long in such cold water without a wetsuit.

The SA Maritime Safety Authority will inspect the Miroshaga in Cape Town harbour today to ascertain how the vessel capsized, according to the Cape Times.