WITSAND – Family rescued off houseboat:

WITSAND – Wednesday, 04th July, 2012.Rob Wilson, NSRI Witsand deputy station commander, said:'At 04h30, on the morning of Wednesday, 04th July, NSRI Witsand volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a family, a husband and wife and their 7 year old daughter, adrift on a hired houseboat, 20 kilometers upstream of the Breede River, off Bobbejaankrans, after their anchor dragged in gale force winds.'Our Witsand volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched Spirit of Rotary – Blouberg and responded to the scene where we found the houseboat in the process of smashing into rocks on the shoreline of the banks of the Breede River.'Our crew rescued the family off the houseboat in extremely strong wind conditions and they were brought to the rescue station in Witsand.'The daughter was treated for mild hypothermia, dehydration from motion sickness and following treatment, including rewarming and rehydration, she was released. Her parents were not injured.'The family were then transported to one of our NSRI crewman's house where they were made comfortable and kept warm until, after sunrise, staff from the Malgas Hotel, where they are staying on holiday, fetched them by road and they have continued with their holiday.'The hotel staff, where the houseboat was hired, made arrangements to salvage their boat during the day.'