YZERFONTEIN – Microlight accident:

UPDATE: SEA RESCUE YZERFONTEINNSRI confirm that NSRI Yzerfontein volunteers accompanied by First Choice paramedics were 200 meters from the crash site, after hiking about 2 kilometers from the beach to the crash site, when the EMS Skymed helicopter arrived on-scene and airlifted the casualties, the injured man to hospital and the uninjured woman to Yzerfontein. NSRI and the First Choice paramedics were no longer required on-scene and they hiked back to the NSRI vehicle at 60 mile Beach.NSRI only assisted with the logistics for the uninjured female passenger once she arrived in Yzerfontein.It has now come to light that two Gyrocopters had assisted in the initial search and had originally located the aircraft and directed the EMS Skymed helicopter to the scene. One flown by Dave Lehr, who is also a volunteer with the Police Dive Unit, and one flown by Jean Tresfon.Their assistance is appreciated.Original report :Thursday, 09th August, 2012:Rudi Rodgers, NSRI Yzerfontein station commander, said:'At 15h51 on Thursday, 09th August, NSRI Yzerfontein volunteer sea rescue duty crew were called out following a request for assistance from First Choice medics who had been activated by Atlantic Medical Response to join in a search following reports of a Microlight aircraft, with 2 persons onboard, crashed between Yzerfontein and Saldana Bay in the vicinity of 60 mile beach.'Our Yzerfontein volunteer duty crew responded in their NSRI 4x4 rescue vehicle carrying the First Choice paramedics and on arrival in the vicinity they began to search inland hiking 2 kilometers before reaching the wreckage of the Microlight aircraft 2 kilometers inland from the beach and 7 kilometers from Yzerfontein.'Dave Lehr, a Gyrocopter pilot, from Morningstar airfield, and SA National Park rangers were also searching.'At the same time as our arrival on-scene the Western Cape Government Health EMS rescue helicopter, Skymed, also arrived on–scene.'The woman passenger, Sarie Brits, 49, from Tableview, Cape Town, was not injured. The pilot, Dirk Coetzee, 46, from Tableview, Cape Town, had sustained a suspected dislocated right shoulder and a pelvic injury. He was airlifted by Skymed to Milnerton Medi-Clinic in a stable condition.'Sarie Brits was airlifted to Yzerfontein and handed into the care of NSRI Yzerfontein sea rescue crew medics to assist her with logistics to return home.'According to Sarie they had flown from Saldanha Bay to Atlantis and were returning to Saldanha Bay when the Microlight allegedly ran out of fuel. 'She told NSRI that on their descent they hit a sand dune causing the Microlight to crash land.'