A fishing trawler sank 30 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Town last Friday, carrying 20 fishermen.
While nine fishermen have been rescued, 11 remain missing at sea and are presumed dead.
This tragic event has sparked concerns regarding the safety protocols and regulations governing such vessels.
Since beginning his tenure as an observer in 2004, Sihle Victor Ngcongo, Fisheries Observer and Founder of Imvelo Blue Environment Consultancy, notes that safety measures have significantly improved compared to the past.
He emphasises the heightened focus on training fishermen and crew, raising awareness about safety hazards, and providing comprehensive instruction on managing potential incidents.
Under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1951, fishing vessel owners and skippers are mandated to maintain their vessels in a seaworthy state and conduct regular safety drills, including boat and fire exercises.
Thanks to these preventive measures, Ngcongo remarks that occurrences like this recent incident are rare.
“It’s not very common that these things happen. All fishing vessels and fishing crew members need to go for minimum training,” he adds.