RESCUE OPERATIONS / 8 FEBRUARY 2014

Boat and kite boarder assisted in Langebaan

During a stand-by for a Langebaan SUP (Stand-up Paddle Board) downwind paddle event, at 16h00 on Saturday the 8th of February, our sea rescue craft GEMINI RESCUER II was diverted to respond to the assistance of a 6.5 meter boat with 5 people onboard, 2 adult men, 2 adult women and a male child, all from Cape Town, reporting to be taking water after sustaining mechanical motor failure near to Konstable Cop at Kraal Baai.On arrival on-scene we found all 5 crew to be safe and a towline was rigged and we towed the boat safely to the Langebaan Yacht Club where they required no further assistance.It appears that a recent service on the boats bilge pump may have caused the boat to fill with water but the owner will investigate the cause more closely on their return to Cape Town. Our duty crew returned to the SUP stand-by but then at 18h45 our sea rescue craft GEMINI RESCUER II responded just off The Strandloper in Langebaan, where an eye-witness raised the alarm reporting to be witnessing a kite-boarder in difficulties in the water (appearing to be unable to get his kite up) and drifting 300 meters off-shore.On arrival on-scene we found an adult man (staying in Langebaan for the weekend but unknown to NSRI where he is from) drifting in the water. We took him onboard our sea rescue craft and recovered his kite and board and transported him to Main Beach where, once safely ashore, he required no further assistance.The SUP event which included 27 competitors paddling in a gusting 21 knot South South Westerly wind and 1.9 meter swell went off successfully without incident.