In a somber ruling, the Western Cape High Court has officially declared the 11 fishermen who went missing at sea in May 2024 as presumed dead, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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The men were aboard the MFV Lepanto, which tragically sank on 17 May, approximately 34 nautical miles off the coast of Hout Bay.
The fishermen were employed by Viking Fishing, a subsidiary of Sea Harvest Corporation. After the vessel encountered difficulties and sank, a search and rescue operation was initiated but was called off after two days due to the lack of sightings and challenging conditions. The wreckage lies at a depth of 350 meters, complicating recovery efforts.
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Viking Fishing, alongside the families of the missing crew members, petitioned the court to declare the men deceased in order to facilitate the management of their estates. Judge James Lekhuleni delivered the ruling on Monday, noting that despite extensive searches, no evidence of the missing crew had been found.
In his judgment, Judge Lekhuleni recounted the events leading to the sinking. He described how the surviving crew managed to inflate a life raft after the vessel capsized, while the missing crew did not survive the incident. The judge stated, ‘The overwhelming evidence suggests that the missing crew were sadly lost when the vessel sank on 17 May, 2024, at 2:30pm.’
According to News24, the judge concluded that the evidence indicated the crew members died at sea that day, prompting the court to presume them dead.
Anthea Thompson, a spokesperson for Sea Harvest, expressed relief for the families, emphasising the company’s support throughout the legal process. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) had received a distress call regarding the rapidly sinking vessel, leading to a coordinated response from nearby fishing vessels. Nine crew members were rescued from a life raft, but the remaining 11 were never found despite extensive search efforts.
The search concluded on 18 May, with no signs of life and only some debris retrieved. The family of one missing crew member, Johnwill Isaacs, voiced their ongoing grief and desire for closure. His sister, Elizabeth Isaacs, highlighted the emotional toll of not having his body, stating, ‘Our days are filled with so much sadness because we do not have closure.’
As the families navigate their loss, they continue to seek comfort and understanding in the wake of this tragic event.
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Picture: National Sea Rescue Institute
