MORNING COMPOSER

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MORNING COMPOSER 9336074

The Subtech tug "Reier" which was on a return voyage from Richards Bay was involved in the search for the captain and his wife. At 02h30 on May 1 she overheard the Morning Composer reporting to Durban port control that they had a Man Overboard situation. The "Reier" immediately altered course towards the vessel and informed Port Control that as they were the nearest vessel able to respond he would begin the surface search while assisting with the co-ordination of the search. All the crew were posted as lookouts and searchlights were deployed. An NPA helicopter joined the search. At 03h30 a number of lifejackets were found which the "Reier" recovered. The helicopter then had to return to the port while the "Reier" continued the search and maintained a datum for the helicopter’s return. On the return of the helicopter the first body was spotted 70m from the "Reier". The NSRI was then called in to recover the body. Shortly thereafter the second body was discovered which the NSRI subsequently also recovered.

MORNING COMPOSER 9336074

The bodies of the captain of the "Morning Composer" and his wife were pulled from the sea six nautical miles off Durban on May 1, 2010. A mayday call was transmitted from the ship at about 2.30am. The crew reported that the captain's wife had jumped into the sea at the anchorage off Durban where the ship was to wait before coming into the port. The Transnet National Port's Authority helicopter and a National Sea Rescue Institute rescue crew responded. The bodies of both people were found by the helicopter. They were floating about two nautical miles from the ship and were recovered onto the NSRI rescue craft and brought ashore. It was suspected the woman jumped into the sea and her husbandwent in after her.