Durban – An international crew of 30 fishermen were rescued from a burning Taiwanese vessel off the Durban coast on Tuesday, the SA Maritime Safety Authority has said.

Crew members from the Hsiang Fuh no.6 were rescued after the Maritime Rescue Co-ordinating Centre in Cape Town (MRCC CT) was notified that a container ship, the Ever Diadem, spotted the burning vessel about 10km from its position. 

The crew had already abandoned ship on two life rafts about 736km east-north-east of Durban and 496km from the closest shore.

The vessel apparently caught fire on Sunday off the coast of Madagascar. The survivors were brought to Durban on Tuesday.

Samsa said after the MRCC CT requested the Ever Diadem to recover the survivors, an urgent mayday message was sent to other vessels to assist. Two bulk carriers, the Hampton Bay and the SBI Antares, came to their aid.

Sixteen crew members were picked up by the Ever Diadem while the other 14 were picked up by the SBI Antares. Some of the survivors had suffered slight burns. However, one of the men, a Filipino, had to be evacuated by helicopter after he suffered second and third-degree burns to 40% of his body.

A 63-year-old Chinese survivor was also treated for soft tissue injuries to his right knee. 

Both were hoisted to the helicopter by the paramedics with the Filipino being in a stable but serious condition and the Chinese sailor in a stable condition.