Rescuers kept on the hop all weekend

Hout Bay:At 13h11 (Sunday, 9th October) NSRI Hout Bay were activated following a Mayday distress call from the charter (seal watching) boat NAUTICAT, with 42 passengers and 4 crew onboard, reporting to have hit a rock in the water at Duiker Island, Hout Bay.NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS was in the water near to the scene conducting routine exercises at the time and arrived on-scene within minutes of the Mayday distress call and it was immediately determined that all 42 passengers and 4 crew (on NAUTICAT) were not injured and although some damage sustained to the boats hull the boat appeared to not be taking any water.Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said that the NSRI Hout Bay large deep-sea rescue craft MTU NADINE GORDIMER, preparing to respond to the scene was stood-down and placed on alert (ready to respond if necessary) as it was determined that NAUTICAT was in no immediate danger.Brad said 'our sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS escorted NAUTICAT to her mooring at Hout Bay harbour and no further assistance was required.It appears that NAUTICAT may have been pushed onto submerged rock/s at Duiker Island by a wave while passengers were viewing seals.SAMSA (The South African Maritime Safety Authority) have been informed of the incident.Wilderness:At 13h00 (Saturday, 8th October) NSRI Wilderness volunteer duty crew were activated following reports of 4 teenagers swept into the Touw River Lagoon and in difficulty, next to our NSRI Wilderness sea rescue base.As high tide approached the swell and currents heading into the Touw River channel, feeding into the lagoon, were extremely strong, the 4 teenagers, two males and two females, all believed to be aged approximately 16, who we believe were wading in the river, were swept into the lagoon.Garth Duminy, NSRI Wilderness duty coxswain said that bystanders rescued the two females from the water and the two males managed to get out of the water without assistance.NSRI Wilderness volunteers who responded to the scene reassured the two females, both suffering from suspected near drowning symptoms, and they were both transported to hospital by ambulance where they were later released.At approximately 15h00 (Sunday, 9th October) NSRI Wilderness were activated to Sedgefield Lagoon following reports of a teenager swept into the Lagoon and in difficulties.At high tide currents in the Sedgefield River channel leading into Sedgefield Lagoon were extremely strong and the teenager, an 18 year old male, was swept up stream and into the lagoon and almost into the middle of the lagoon.Off-duty junior NSRI trainee crew, 18 year old Warren van Steenderen, was with his dad on the shore at the time and he witnessed the incident and raised the alarm and then he sprang into the lagoon to go to the rescue of the teenager.Garth Duminy, NSRI Wilderness duty coxswain, said that three NSRI volunteers were knee-boarding on the lagoon at the time, nearby, and they responded to the scene aboard a private boat and on arrival on-scene they confirmed that the teenager had already been rescued by Warren.The teenager was not injured and he required no further assistance.Still Bay:At approximately 23h00 (Saturday, 8th October), NSRI Still Bay volunteers were activated to assist local police searching for a man suspected to have gone missing on the Goukou River, 8 kilometers upstream of Still Bay.It is suspected that the man may have been on a Sea Kayak and may have last been seen by 8 people from Stellenbosch, on a rubber-duck, including a doctor, another adult and children, but the circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear and are being investigated by Police.Enrico Menezies, NSRI Still Bay station commander, said that a search on Saturday night revealed no sign of the man. NSRI volunteers, our NSRI sea rescue craft and a Police Dive team continued to search today (Sunday, 9th October) but as of yet no sign of the missing man has been found and only his sea-kayak has been found.The involvement, in this incident, of the 8 people on the rubber-duck is not clear but Police are investigating further.Port Edward:At 13h30 NSRI Port Edward were activated to assist uBunthu Lifeguards at Port Edward Main Beach, searching for a 24 year old male who had gone missing in the water while swimming.Earlier, lifeguards on-duty at the beach had warned bathers to exit the water as the 2.5 meter breaking swells, Spring Tide, and rough seas with strong rip-currents made bathing dangerous.Allan Stilwell, NSRI Port Edward duty controller, said that It appears lifeguards on duty had made extensive efforts to warn bathers to exit the water but some bathers continued to swim and when lifeguards saw the man in difficulties they tried to reach him in the water but he disappeared before lifeguards could reach him.uBunthu Lifeguards, NSRI Port Edward rescue swimmers and an NSRI Port Edward DISCOVERY rescue runner and Police Search and Rescue team searched extensively for the missing man but no sign of the missing man has been found.Police are investigating and the search will continue.Durban:On Friday 7 Oct at 16h22 NSRI Durban prepared to launch their sea rescue craft, activated their sea rescue vehicle and activated local lifeguards near to Ballito following reports of a surf-skier in difficulty. Prior to NSRI arriving on-scene it was confirmed that lifeguards attended to the surf-skier who was safely ashore.On Saturday 8 Oct at 08h30 NSRI Durban launched their sea rescue craft MEGAN II following reports of a recreational dive boat taking water and sinking 2 nautical miles South of the Port of Durban. Wendy Serfontein, NSRI Durban duty controller, said that on arrival on-scene it was found that the boat, a rubber-duck, was only experiencing engine failure and was not sinking. The 5 men and one female, onboard the rubber-duck, were towed to Vetchies Beach and once safely ashore they required no further assistance.On Sat 8 Oct at 12h23, NSRI Durban, prepared to launch their sea rescue craft following a request for assistance from a yacht run onto a sand bank in the Durban Port. Prior to arriving on-scene, the yacht confirmed that they were free of the sand-bank and no further assistance was required.Melkbosstrand:On Sat 8 Oct at 12h42, NSRI Melkbosstrand responded to reports of a jet-skier in difficulty off-shore of Melkbosstrand. Rhine Barnes, NSRI Melkbosstrand station commander, said that on investigation it was found that the jet-skiers friend towed him to shore where NSRI Melkbosstrand volunteers helped them to recover their jet-ski's.On Sat 8 Oct at 16h39, NSRI Melkbosstrand responded to Melkbosstrand beach following reports of a near drowning. On arrival on-scene a 25 year old man was found on the beach and he was treated for hypothermia and near drowning symptoms. A Metro EMS ambulance was called to the scene and the man was transported to hospital in a stable condition.Koegel Bay:At approximately 16h00 (Saturday, 08th October) Metro EMS, the Metro EMS Red Cross AMS helicopter and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services responded to Koegel Bay following reports of a drowning in progress. On arrival on-scene CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were commenced on an adult male but after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted on-scene he was declared dead. A female was transported to hospital in a stable condition. It was indicated that the man who drowned had tried to save the woman before getting into trouble himself but this has not been confirmed.Hout Bay:At 16h53 (Saturday, 08th October), NSRI Hout Bay volunteers launched their two sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS and NEDBANK RESCUER to assist a Saldanha Bay registered 23 foot yacht suffering from her motor coming loose off the back of the yacht. The yacht was towed to safe moorings in Hout Bay harbour. Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said that fortunately for the German solo sailor the motor was tethered to the yacht by a chain when it broke off the back transom so he saved the motor. Once safely ashore he required no further assistance. The man had launched from Hout Bay earlier in the day and was sailing around in the Bay when the incident happened.Richard's Bay:At 06h50 (Sunday, 09th October) NSRI Richard's Bay volunteers launched their sea rescue craft Spirit of Round Table to go to the assistance of a yacht experiencing motor failure 5 nautical miles from the Port of Richard's Bay. Cornel du Toit, NSRI Richard's Bay deputy station commander, said that the yacht OZ sailing from Inhaca Island to Richards Bay, with 2 crew onboard, believed to be Australians, was towed safely into port.