A LATE-NIGHT outing for three anglers ended in disaster when their fishing boat and 4x4 vehicle were swept into the Swartkops River.
Retired former North West and Griquas cricketer Morne Strydom, his father, Colin, and a friend went fishing on the river at Amsterdamhoek on Monday night.
When they tried to pull their boat out of the river with their vehicle, the strong current pulled both the boat and the Nissan X-Trail into the water. While the boat was recovered, there is still no sign of the vehicle.
Morne Strydom, owner of the Nissan, said no one had been hurt in the incident.
“The car’s hand-brake failed and when we were trying to get the boat onto the trailer we saw the car was rolling backwards.
“It then rolled with the boat and trailer into the river.â€
Colin Strydom said they had caught two fish and had then decided to end the fishing excursion.
“We got the boat on the trailer. Morne and Ivan (handled) the boat while I was cleaning the fish. Morne hooked the boat and was pulling it out when it got stuck on its side on the slipway.
“He reversed the car and the next thing I heard was Morne saying: ‘Leave it alone, let it go’.â€
Colin said they had had to watch both the boat and the vehicle sink into the river.
“Morne is safe, Ivan is safe, I am safe and everyone is happy,†he said.
A tow truck company and a diver managed to fish the boat out of the river at noon yesterday but the Nissan X-Trail has not been found.
Retired former North West and Griquas cricketer Morne Strydom, his father, Colin, and a friend went fishing on the river at Amsterdamhoek on Monday night.
When they tried to pull their boat out of the river with their vehicle, the strong current pulled both the boat and the Nissan X-Trail into the water. While the boat was recovered, there is still no sign of the vehicle.
Morne Strydom, owner of the Nissan, said no one had been hurt in the incident.
“The car’s hand-brake failed and when we were trying to get the boat onto the trailer we saw the car was rolling backwards.
“It then rolled with the boat and trailer into the river.â€
Colin Strydom said they had caught two fish and had then decided to end the fishing excursion.
“We got the boat on the trailer. Morne and Ivan (handled) the boat while I was cleaning the fish. Morne hooked the boat and was pulling it out when it got stuck on its side on the slipway.
“He reversed the car and the next thing I heard was Morne saying: ‘Leave it alone, let it go’.â€
Colin said they had had to watch both the boat and the vehicle sink into the river.
“Morne is safe, Ivan is safe, I am safe and everyone is happy,†he said.
A tow truck company and a diver managed to fish the boat out of the river at noon yesterday but the Nissan X-Trail has not been found.