Fishing crew rescued off Port Elizabeth

Volunteers from the National Sea Rescue Institute in Port Elizabeth had to race to sea on Sunday morning to save a fishing trawler with 21 crew on board from sinking. The NSRI’s Paul Killeen says the trawler was taking on water off Schoenmakerskop. Two NSRI boats and a fishing vessel rushed to the scene in choppy, rainy conditions. Water was pumped out of the Ellis S and it was taken under tow to Port Elizabeth. Killeen says a National Port Authority tug boat has been placed on alert to take over the tow if necessary. The crew is safe but the situation is tense.