Fishing safety overview highlights fatalities in 2025

Marine notice details capsizes, gas leaks and towing incidents in the fishing industry during 2025

SOUTH AFRICA: The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has returned to the practice of publishing an annual review of incidents in the fishing industry with the release of a Marine Information Notice at the beginning of the month that highlighted the six deaths that rocked the industry last year.

Although six fatalities are recorded, this excludes an additional fisher that remains missing and will mostly likely increase that official statistic.

Marine Information Notice MIN 07-26 sets out the fatalities, injuries and vessel casualties reported over the year, along with lessons learned, and urges the industry to review its operations to prevent similar incidents recurring.

Three of the six fatalities were as a result of vessels capsizing when returning from the fishing grounds. The remaining three deaths were recorded as follows:

◼︎ One fisher fell overboard while fishing off Vleesbaai. Their body was later recovered by the NSRI in Mossel Bay waters.

◼︎ One fisher died from refrigeration gas inhalation. Two other fishers found unconscious in the same incident were successfully resuscitated.

◼︎ One fisher died after being pinned by the chain holding a port side trawl door.

The authority attributed the loss and assumed loss of life to a lack of safety controls and training around dangerous gases and refrigerants, compromised watertight integrity that led to a vessel capsizing, fishers not using available personal protective equipment, and poor situational awareness.

Towing and mechanical failures dominate

Beyond the fatalities, SAMSA recorded that 24 vessels were towed into port during the year, the most commonly reported incident type. Reasons cited included insufficient maintenance of machinery; an inability to carry out repairs on board due to a lack of training or spares; net obstructions around propellers; loss of steering control; main engine or gearbox failure, and seawater leaks on cooling lines.

Occupational accidents were the second most common incident, with 12 cases logged. These included a fisher whose thumb was broken while trying to free a jammed trawl wire; a fisher who inhaled gas after an ammonia compressor gasket failed; a fisher whose finger was partially amputated by a weathertight door that swung shut as the vessel rolled, and a fisher who fractured a wrist after being struck by a mooring rope while shifting berth.

Grounding accounted for nine incidents, while capsizing or listing, casualties to personnel, and collisions or allisions each accounted for five. Fire or explosion also accounted for five incidents, with machinery failure, sinking, equipment failure and flooding making up the remainder.

By vessel size, fishing vessels under 24 metres were involved in 30 reported incidents, those between 24m and 45m in 28, small fishing vessels in eight, and vessels of 45m and over in six. SAMSA noted that incidents involving licensed small fishing vessels typically involved grounding, capsizing and engine failure linked to sudden weather changes, mooring arrangements and poor maintenance.

The SAMSA notice highlights that support including trauma counselling is being made available to those affected by maritime incidents reported through its official channels. The authority also facilitates social grant applications through its Welfare Office, which can be reached on 021 421 6170 or at Welfare@samsa.org.za.