VICTORIA, Seychelles — A vessel has capsized in the vicinity of Ile de Romainville, with one person still unaccounted for, according to a joint press release from the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) and the Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority (SMSA) late yesterday afternoon. The Serdal, measuring 50 metres in length with a 1.5-metre draft, was anchored approximately 500 metres east of Ile de Romainville, Port Victoria.
The vessel had arrived from Salalah, Oman, for bunkering of marine gas oil, fresh water, and provisions, and was sheltering at the inner anchorage while awaiting further orders. It is now sinking at the position where it capsized. The Seychelles Coastguard was deployed for search and rescue, and an environmental response team is on site coordinating with the Coastguard, SPA, SMSA, and other partners to limit any environmental damage.
Park Officer Damien Mougal of the Seychelles National Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) said his team was returning from a routine patrol at 4:10pm when they noticed the vessel. The location is just outside the Marine Park boundary. “At first we perceived that the boat was floating relatively okay; however, we did notice they were in distress,” he said. The SPGA team, with the help of Club Med and the Yachting Association, managed to bring ten of the eleven people who were on board to the Marine Park. An investigation by local authorities is underway.
