The Department of Foreign Affairs has been informed by the South African Embassy in Buenos Aires that the fishing vessel which sank in the South Atlantic, 300 kilometres west of South Georgia Island in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands, has been positively identified as the Namibian registered fishing vessel, the LUSHIP.
It has been confirmed that the crew numbered 38 of which 21 are alive, 5 are dead and a further 12 missing. Two of the dead crew members are South African and three Namibian. Of the 12 missing, 9 are South African, 2 Portugees and one Namibian.
The severe weather conditions at the time of the sinking of the Luship made rescue operations very difficult. The crew of the stricken vessel were assisted by 5 vessels which responded to the distress signal of the LUSHIP and by a C130 Hercules of the Royal Air Force. The search for the missing crew members has unfortunatley been called off as a result of the extreme weather conditions in the area.
The Department of Foreign Affairs would like to express it's condolences to the families of the deceased and missing crew members.
Rescue operations were coordinated from Argentina by the Puerto Belgrano naval base together with the Centre for Search and Rescue in Ushuaia. The South African Gorvernment would like to express ITS thanks for this support from the Argentine authorities.
The assistance provided to the LUSHIP by foreign vessels is highly appreciated and the South African Gorvernment would like to thank the Isla Camilla, the Arctic Fox, the Northern Ride, the Curu Maru and the crew of the C130 Hercules for their courageous assistance at the time of this tragedy. Without their presence and support further lives would definitely have been lost.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is presently in the process of coordinating discussions between the South African Navy and the Argentine Navy on the question of combined sea and air rescue operations. Both countries have for some time been working on an agreement which would facilitate greater cooperation in situations such as that faced by the LUSHIP.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 10 JUNE 1998