According to Arthur Crewe of the Hartbeespoort Marine Law Enforcement Unit and SRU Search and Rescue, they received calls for assistance shortly after 16:00 on Saturday after two boats became stuck in hyacinth.
“One boat had six people on it and was in a mat of compacted hyacinth about one metre deep. While trying to reach them, we were informed of another that was stuck,” he said.
Boaters World joined the recue team to assist.
“The boat was so far into the hyacinth that it was impossible to reach them. It was getting dark and too dangerous to even dispatch swimmers.”
Around 22:30, the wind changed, giving rescue boats a small opening to reach the boat carrying the six passengers, who were rescued.
The hyacinth mat surrounding the second boat, however, did not give way, and rescuers could only reach the skipper the following morning.
“During our operation, while utilising a drone, we spotted an abandoned third boat in a mat of hyacinth. We have not been able to determine what happened to the occupants of the boat. Hopefully, they were rescued by other boaters.”
A stern warning has been issued to boaters on Hartbeespoort Dam.
“Over 50% of the dam is covered in hyacinth and if boaters want to take the chance of going onto the water, pack an overnight bag. This is how serious the situation is,” Crewe said.
“Boaters may think a part of the dam looks clear, but a sudden wind can cause the hyacinth mat to move and surround a vessel within minutes. Rescue boats cannot penetrate the thick mat of hyacinth and in most cases it is too dangerous for swimmers to attempt to reach people in distress.”
“We ask boaters to be responsible and take precautions when going out on Hartbeespoort Dam. We also want to thank Boaters World that joined the recue team to assist” Crewe said.
