The Maredon
In July 2017, the fishing vessel, the Maredon, on her maiden voyage, capsized off the Eastern Cape of Africa. The 16-man crew were terrified.
“I was trapped under the capsized boat for seven hours. It was dark and cold and I thought I was going to die. I wanted to move, but could not get up; I could not move my legs,” one crew member said.
Rough sea conditions with six-meter swells and gusts reaching 50 knots meant rescue efforts were very difficult. But an intensive sea, air and shore search managed to bring a few survivors to shore.
Of the 16 crew members, seven were rescued including the Captain and First Mate.
The survivors were deeply traumatised and needed help. Our CRN team stepped in to give trauma and grief counselling to the survivors and families of all the crew members.
They visited the survivors and their families, as well as the families of the missing and deceased. They carried out grief counselling and debriefing for groups and family members.
At the time, CRN team member Danie Taljard explained: “This counselling is different from say counselling piracy survivors. Some families are still waiting in the hope that their loved ones could miraculously be found and the survivors have suffered terrifying conditions.
“There are the co-workers, relatives and friends. All are on different levels of emotional trauma.”
Over the period, the team travelled 1,685 kilometres carrying out this vital service.
Other CRN case studies
Imprisonment
In October 2013 the ship Seaman Guard, engaged in an anti-piracy operation, was running low on fuel. It stopped in Indian waters to refuel, unaware that the fuel was stolen.
Shipwreck
In February 2022, the crew Tresta Star was bunkering (taking on diesel fuel) in mid Indian Ocean when Cyclone Batsirai hit.
False imprisonment
The CRN team were contacted in August 2022. A crew of 16 Indians, eight Sri Lankans, one Polish and one Filipino national, had been detained by Nigerian authorities, accused of attempted oil theft and faking a piracy attack. All part of a wider political dispute.
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