Rescue teams respond to Gansbaai

At 12h06 (Friday, 23rd August) NSRI Hermanus volunteer sea rescue duty crew and the WC Government Health EMS were activated following reports of an incident where three local female school learners, aged 12 to 14, claimed that they had seen what they suspected to be a man in difficulty in the water off-shore of the abalone factory at Danger Point, Roman Bay, near Gansbaai, while they were standing on the beach.According to their report to the authorities, they claimed that they had seen what they thought may have been a hand come out of the water, in amongst kelp, and they suspected that they had seen blood in the water. They had not seen anyone enter the water prior to the alleged incident.A local ski-boat safety boat (that provides water safety to small craft in the area) and a Sea Fisheries boat, that were in the area at the time, went to investigate while NSRI Hermanus, the Red Cross AMS Skymed helicopter, WC Government Health EMS and a Police Dive Unit, aboard a Police helicopter, and the local SA Police Services responded.On arriving on-scene a local ambulance response service, WC Government Health EMS ambulance, the sea fisheries boat and the local safety boat confirmed that they could find no evidence on the scene of any incident.Rescue resources were stood-down while the Police dive unit continued to respond aboard a police helicopter and on their arrival, following an extensive air search, no sign of any incident or evidence that anyone had been in any difficulty in the water could be found.No reports of any person overdue or missing have been filed with Police that may relate to this incident.Local police and a police dive unit remain on alert to respond to any new information that may be related to this incident. Stock image