SHELLY BEACH:
At 07h00 on Sunday the 28th of December, Shelly Beach duty crew launched the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF DAWN and CALTEX CHALLENGER II to assist the boat PURR FECT reporting one motor failure, just off the backline, with 6 people onboard.
The skipper had called the Sonny Evans small craft harbour to raise the alarm and they activated NSRI Shelly Beach.
On arrival on-scene the 5 crew, aged between 10 and 50, all men, were taken off the boat and brought safely in aboard a sea rescue craft, the skipper remained onboard his boat and the boat was brought in safely without incident.
PORT ALFRED:
At 07h20, Sunday, 28th December, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following reports of a boat capsized in the Kowie River Mouth with 3 people onboard.
Local surfers had gone to their aid assisting all 3 crew to get onto the upturned hull of the capsized casualty boat and the local private boat NEGOTIATOR also went to their assistance, attaching a tow line to the casualty boat to prevent her from being swept away and towing her further upstream away from danger.
After capsizing in the incoming tide the casualty boat had been swept away from the river mouth and back into the river pushing her upstream which helped the situation.
NSRI Port Alfred launched RESCUE 11 ALPHA and LOTTO CHALLENGER and on arrival on-scene the 3 casualty crew were rescued from the upturned hull of their boat and brought safely ashore aboard a sea rescue craft.
All 3 men were wearing life jackets. Skipper Johan Cilliers, 60, a paraplegic, and his crew Dennis Greeves, 72, and Iain Greeves, 45, all from Centurion, Gauteng, were treated by NSRI medics for shock and Dennis Greeves was treated for a laceration to his knee before being handed over to Guardmed ambulance services paramedics.
All 3 men were transported to hospital for further treatment, in stable conditions, by Guarded ambulance.
Their boat has been righted and berthed.
It appears that the boats motor stalled in the mouth causing them to turn side on to the incoming swell before being capsized by a wave.
The surfers and the 4 crew of NEGOTIATOR, skippered by Nico and Marius Smit, are commended for assisting the 3 casualties.
Sea conditions around the coast remain rough with strong rip currents and strong tidal surges and bathers and boaters are urged to be cautious.
Lotto Challenger
