SEA RESCUE – Western Cape – Saturday, 27th December. Children drown, Vaal Dam. Body recovered, Strand. NSRI assist SPCA with seal pups, Mossel Bay and Strandfontein. Teenager fractures leg, Wilderness. Lady injured on charter boat, Mykonos:
VAAL DAM:
NSRI Vaal Dam were informed of a tragic drowning accident that claimed the lives of a 4 year old and a 5 year old child on the Vaal Dam yesterday, Friday, 26th December.
According to reports the parents had rescued the children from the water and paramedics had raced to the scene but sadly both children died.
Sincerest condolences are expressed to family.
NSRI have no further details.
STRAND:
NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew volunteered to assist Police divers in an ongoing search, this morning, Saturday, 27th December for an 18 year old Eerste River teenager who had gone missing in the surf on Friday at Deep Blue, Strand.
During the search a surfer happening upon the body of the 18 year old male on the shoreline.
Police divers recovered the body and Police trauma counsellors assisted family of the deceased teenager.
Sincere condolences are expressed to family and friends.
The body of the teenager was handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.
MOSSEL BAY and FALSE BAY:
In Mossel Bay and False Bay, on Friday, 26th and Saturday, 27th December NSRI Mossel Bay and NSRI Strandfontein duty crews assisted the SPCA to round up hundreds of seal pups washed ashore during heavy seas and strong tidal surges.
From Seal Island in Mossel Bay and Seal Island in False Bay hundreds of seal pups, unable to swim against the strong currents, were washed onto beaches on Mainland along the Dias shoreline, in Mossel Bay, and from about Strandfontein to Muizenberg, on the False Bay Coast.
Members of the public heeded calls for assistance and everyone chipped in to help the SPCA who took the seal pups into their care with hopes to have them relocated to their respective Seal Islands.
The SPCA remain on high alert to assist where injured seals and seal pups wash ashore.
MYKONOS:
NSRI Mykonos were activated at 15h35, Saturday, 27th December, following a request for medical assistance Elite Charters reporting a 76 year old woman injured on the boat while out on a charter.
It appears that the lady may have fallen head first down a galley.
The charter boat came into the harbour and NSRI medics assisted the patient who was handed over to paramedics and she has been transported to hospital in a stable condition.
WILDERNESS:
At 15h20, Saturday, 27th December, while on active duty at Sea Rescue Wilderness base the NSRI Wilderness duty crew were approached by a father, Dr. Stefan Schoeman, from Waverley in Pretoria, reporting his 13 year old son to have fractured his leg while Skim Boarding on sand dunes 4 kilometres East of the NSRI Wilderness Sea Rescue Station.
NSRI Wilderness dispatched the DISCOVERY Quad Bike and the sea rescue 4x4 vehicle and WC Government Health EMS were activated.
The father had splinted his child’s leg using sticks before going for help and on NSRI’s arrival on the scene, and assisted by Dr. Schoeman, NSRI medics re splinted the leg, the teenager was stabilised and loaded onto the sea rescue vehicle and transported over sand dunes to the sea rescue station and an EMS ambulance transported him to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment.
NSRI continue to urge the public to be extremely cautious around water at the coast and on inland water ways, even at your swimming pool at home.
On the coast expect strong rip currents and tidal surges.
-ENDS-
Wilderness duty crew were approached by Dr. Stefan Schoeman, reporting his 13 year old son to have fractured his leg while Skim Boarding. Picture NSRI.
