MFV Geo Searcher's Early Season Fishing Voyage 2020
Reports from Administrator Fiona Townsend and Cynthia Green
Wreck off Gough Island
As reported separately on the website, the Geo Searcher foundered on a rock and sank on the morning of the 15th October 2020 while fishing off the north-western coast of Gough Island. All 62 seamen on board, including two Tristanian Fisheries observers, safely abandoned ship and made their way to the South African Meteorological Station at the south-eastern end of the island, where they were winched ashore. The SA Agulhas II was dispatched from Cape Town on the 16th October to pick up the survivors. She arrived on the 20th October, but was unable to airlift the crew off until the 21st October, after which she immediately sailed for Tristan. On arrival at Tristan on the 22nd October, she dropped off the islanders and picked up clothing and other personal items for the rest of the crew donated by the community. She then sailed back to Cape Town.
Arrival at Tristan
The MFV Geo Searcher arrived from Cape Town on the afternoon of Friday 11th September 2020. She anchored in the lee of the island as sea conditions were not good to offload. Monday was a suitable day, so offloading commenced and was completed late in the afternoon.
The MFV Geo Searcher pictured November 2019
Departure from Cape Town
The delayed MFV Geo Searcher, which was originally scheduled to depart Cape Town on the 20th or 21st August, finally left on the 29th August 2020.
There was a brief stopover at Walvis Bay, Namibia, on the 1st September to pick up engineers, and she is now heading for Tristan with an ETA of 8th September. This is a fishing trip, and is currently scheduled for 80 days. There are no passengers.