Six found dead after fire aboard fishing vessel in Durban Harbour

Six people were found dead on Friday morning, aboard a fishing vessel that caught alight at Durban Harbour at the end of Belfast Road, paramedics said.

“Rescuers worked through the night and made the gruesome discovery around 2 am this [Friday] morning. Six people were found aboard the fishing vessel. They had unfortunately all passed away due to the injuries they had sustained,” Rescue Care spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said.

“Three men were treated on scene and transported through to hospital [on Thursday] yesterday afternoon by Rescue Care Paramedics. [The SA Police Service] SAPS are still on the scene and will be investigating further.”

On Thursday, he said six people were missing after a fishing vessel caught alight just after 2.30pm.

Jamieson said Durban’s emergency services including, Portnet Fire Department, Durban Fire Department and Ambulance Services in attendance, were at the scene when Rescue Care Paramedics arrived.

“A ship believed to be a fishing vessel was on fire and firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze,” he said at the time.

He said that Rescue Care paramedics on the wharf side assessed many of the workers and took three of them to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

A further six people are unaccounted for currently and once safe all necessary authorities will board the vessel and check for the workers, Jamieson said.

It was not yet known how the fire had started but the SAPS were at the scene would investigate further, Rescue Care said.

African News Agency/ANA