Sea Rescue – Table Bay and George – 02 April, 2011

Sea Rescue – Table Bay and George – 02 April, 2011: Seaman casualty evacuated off drill ship and a man missing in George dam is presumed to have drowned:At 14h41 NSRI Table Bay were called out by the Transnet National Ports Authority to evacuate a 30 year old United States sailor from the drill ship Deep Ocean Mendocino suffering hypertension (high blood pressure) and acute abdominal pain.Our sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom was launched with 3 Metro EMS rescue paramedics onboard. We rendezvoused with the ship 2 nautical miles North of Robben Island where the Metro EMS rescue paramedics and a NSRI crewman were put aboard the ship. The patient was stabilized and transferred onto our sea rescue craft. He was taken to our sea rescue base in Table Bay and transported to hospital by a Metro EMS ambulance in a stable condition for further treatment.Sea Rescue – George – 02 April, 2011: Man missing in George Dam:At 15h00 NSRI Wilderness were activated following reports of a drowning at George Dam in George.NSRI Wilderness volunteers responded with a rescue vehicle towing the sea rescue boat ‘Caltex Rescuer’. The SA Police Services, Metro EMS and George Fire and Rescue Services also responded to the scene.On arrival a search was started for the 35 year old man who, according to family members, had disappeared beneath the surface of the dam approximately 50 meters from the shore.His family members said that he had gone swimming during a family outing to the dam. He had swum straight out into the water about 50 meters where he reportedly waved towards family members before disappearing beneath the surface.An extensive search has revealed no sign of the man who is presumed to have drowned and a Police Dive Unit are continuing a search.