Sea Rescue – National – 24 December, 2010:The Discovery Surf Rescue helicopter was dispatched to find a woman injured on the Mountainside above Chapman’s Peak Drive in Cape Town. After locating the woman a paramedic was deployed from the helicopter and she was stabilised.A Metro EMS rescue team hiked to the location where she was secured into a stokes basket stretcher and carried to the road and then transported to hospital in a stable condition suffering a hip injury sustained from a fall.A rubber-duck with 5 crew, a woman and 4 men, from Pretoria, capsized in the surf at Port Edward’s Main Beach.NSRI Port Edward volunteers and local lifeguards rescued all 5 from the surf and only the woman was transported to hospital for observation for secondary drowning as a precaution.3 people were swept out to sea at Buffalo Bay, near Knysna.Two lifeguards went to their rescue while NSRI Knysna volunteers launched two rescue craft.Both lifeguards were also caught by strong rip-currents and one lifeguard swam ashore while the second lifeguard reached the casualties and corralled them, keeping them calm and coaching them to tread water to stay afloat.A private boat rescued all 4 and they were then transferred onto the NSRI Knysna rescue craft and brought safely ashore.NSRI Knysna will station a sea rescue team at Buffalo Bay on Boxing Day and are warning Knysna bathers to be extremely cautious of strong rip-currents.A ski-boat with 4 men onboard, all from Gauteng, returning from a day’s fishing requested the NSRI Port Edward to assist them onto the beach after their fuel tanks, suspected to be contaminated with water, appear to have caused engine failure.3 Crew were taken off the boat behind the breaker line and brought ashore and the NSRI Port Edward rescue craft towed the ski-boat ashore safely.An eight metre ski-boat ran onto rocks and capsized on the West side of Dassen Island on the West Coast.The 5 crew, 3 men and 2 women, from Yzerfontein, were found safely ashore on NSRI Yzerfontein’s arrival on-scene.The two women suffered minor lacerations one of which required sutures at a local hospital.Their boat was recovered and brought to Yzerfontein harbour by NSRI Yzerfontein.Two rescue craft were launched at Shelly Beach to assist an 8 metre craft to shore following motor failure.The casualty boat was heavy laden with water and was brought safely ashore and all crew are safe.A hobbie-cat capsized in Mossel Bay and prior to NSRI Mossel Bay’s arrival on-scene a private boat helped the hobbie-cat crew to shore and they required no further assistance.
