Inquest into Port St Johns sea death

An inquest docket was opened after a man died while swimming ashore from a boat that had run out of fuel off the coast of Port St Johns on Wednesday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.

Port St Johns NSRI station commander John Costello said his crew were alerted to the boat having run out of fuel and the skipper and crewman trying to swim ashore.

“The skipper of the boat had reportedly reached shore and had managed to hail a lift to town in Port St Johns where he raised the alarm."

When the NSRI team arrived on scene they found the body of the crewman, in his 40s, and a small boat had washed ashore.

“Police were called and they have opened an inquest docket and the body of the deceased man has been handed into the care of the forensic pathology services."

The skipper told the NSRI that they had been fishing 10 nautical miles north of Port St Johns but the weather turned bad. They decided to return to Port St Johns but the boat ran out of fuel.

"Both men had attempted to swim to shore apparently holding onto their life-jackets but not wearing them and when the skipper reached shore he reportedly hailed a lift to town to raise the alarm," Costello said. - Sapa