The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed the successful operation, which took place on Sunday, October 13.
The 62-year-old vessel encountered difficulties approximately 60 nautical miles from Gansbaai when a fire broke out early Sunday morning. The crew abandoned ship, prompting a swift rescue response coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town.
The MFV Ludwani, another vessel from the Sea Harvest Group, was mobilized for the rescue. All 20 crew members were safely transported to Cape Town, arriving at 19:45 local time. A SAMSA spokesperson confirmed their safe arrival and disembarkation.
Following the rescue, efforts were initiated to salvage the MFV Armana. The MFV Harvest Saldanha was deployed for monitoring, and the Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Umkhuseli was dispatched to tow the stricken vessel. However, contact with the Armana was lost early Monday morning.
Despite an extensive search operation, the MFV Armana could not be located, and SAMSA officially called off the search at 13:00, presuming the vessel had sunk. A safety navigational warning has been issued to all vessels in the area of the last known position of the Armana.
In response to this incident, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has instructed SAMSA to conduct urgent safety inspections of all commercial fishing vessels operating in South African waters. The cause of the accident is under investigation, and SAMSA is committed to developing a comprehensive safety improvement plan for fishing vessels in collaboration with industry stakeholders.