Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister,
"I wish to extend my sincere condolences to the families of the 11 crew members who are now presumed deceased.
"I understand that the families of the bereaved fishermen have been informed that the search has been called off and that they are receiving professional counselling and support, and appropriate counselling will be given to the other fishermen who survived this incident," said Creecy.
The MFV Lepanto, a vessel within
The vessel sank around 35 nautical miles offshore from
Nine fishermen have been rescued, while 11 others are still missing at sea, according to officials.
"A review of the search progression, the search efforts, and the continuous lack of sighting reports from the incident start, and the unfavourable weather, led the MRCC to conclude the SAR effort," Creecy explained.
The Minister has since welcomed the appointment of the casualty investigation team by the
"The investigation will determine the cause of the sinking and ensure that all safety protocols were followed," she said.
The men were reunited with their families after a physical evaluation by a medical doctor and were provided with immediate trauma counselling.
"We have been in ongoing contact with the families, with a senior team and a counsellor visiting each family of the missing men today. We will continue to support them, as well as the rescued men and their families. We are also providing updates and counselling for our broader employee base, as this has been extremely upsetting and sad for all of us," Ratheb said.
According to the CEO, the company is working closely with the relevant authorities, primarily SAMSA, to establish the cause of the accident as soon as possible.
"We wish to thank our employees and the rescue organisations for their active search and rescue operations since Friday," he said in a statement.
Creecy has since asked fellow South Africans to keep the bereaved families in their thoughts and prayers.
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