Plett. 24 April, 2011: Hiker rescued and men swept out to sea:

Plettenberg Bay – 24 April, 2011: Woman rescued following injury during hike and 2 men rescued after being swept out to sea:At 12h16 NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteers were called by Cape Nature to help a woman who fell and fractured her ankle at Kwano Gatte in Robberg Nature Reserve, while hiking with her family.NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteers responded to the scene aboard the rescue boat Ian Hepburn.Sea rescue members were put ashore where 72 year old Dot Goetsch, from Port Elizabeth, was found with a sprained, or possibly fractured ankle. She was stabilized and carried to the parking lot at Robberg Nature Reserve, where she was handed over to family members and taken to a local hospital.At 16h00 NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteers were called again for two men being swept out to sea at Natures Valley.Our NSRI rescue swimmer Torsten Henschel, stationed in Natures Valley for the long weekend was sent to the scene, while the duty crew launched the rescue boats Ian Hepburn, Airlink Rescuer and the Discovery Rescue Runner.Two off-duty NSRI volunteers, Dr. Johan van Vuuren, and NSRI rescue swimmer Marty Reddering confirmed that they too were in Natures Valley for the long weekend and both also responded to the scene.Torsten Henschel and Marty Reddering swam 400 meters out to sea where they rounded up a 30 year old man and a 14 year old teenager, who had both been swept out to sea by rip-currents.Dr van Vuuren directed the approaching sea rescue boats to the location of the swimmers and they were all taken on board.30 year old Michael van den Heever, from Kathu, Northern Cape, and 14 year old Michael van den Heever, from Warrenton, Northern Cape were treated for near drowning symptoms by Dr Sam Botha on the Ian Hepburn. They were stabilized and brought to the sea rescue station where they were met by a Medlife ambulance and transported to hospital.