Near drowning of kite-boarder, Melkbosstrand and man missing, feared drowned, Jeffreys Bay:
MELKBOSSTRAND:
At 10h04, Tuesday, 16th December NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew responded to Dolphin Beach, Tableview, following reports from ER24 ambulance services of a kite-boarder in difficulty off-shore.
ER24 ambulance services, SA Police Services and the NSRI Melkbosstrand sea rescue vehicle responded and NSRI Melkbosstrand launched a sea rescue craft.
On arrival on-scene ER24 paramedics treated a 21 year old male kite-boarder who had managed to get back to shore and was found on the beach but suffering near drowning symptoms and hypothermia.
He was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a stable condition for observation for secondary drowning and he is expected to fully recover.
JEFFREYS BAY:
At 18h30, Tuesday, 16th December, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew responded to Main Beach, Jeffreys Bay, following reports of a drowning in progress.
NSRI Jeffreys Bay launched the sea rescue craft EDDIE BEAUMONT II, the SA Police Services, EC Government Health EMS and Rescue, Private Care ambulance services, the Kouga Municipal Lifeguards manager and a local SA Airways pilot who volunteered his private fixed wing aircraft responded.
On arrival on-scene it took some time before rescuers were able to determine where the incident had happened, who was involved and what had happened, causing a critical delay in the search and rescue operation, and after clarity on the situation could be established a search commenced for a 20 year old male, from Gauteng, who reportedly disappeared under water after getting caught in rip currents while swimming.
A surfer had gone to his rescue but the man had disappeared under water before the surfer could reach him.
Despite an extensive search no sign of the man has been found and at midnight NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew are conducting further beach shoreline searches.
Police trauma counsellors assisted the family of the missing man. Police have opened an investigation into the incident and a Police Dive Unit will join in the search on Wednesday morning.
NSRI volunteers search for the missing man at Jeffreys Bay.
IN A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY SECONDS CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH:
NSRI ARE APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THE SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY NUMBER - 112 IS A NATIONAL NUMBER THAT CAN BE USED TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY (OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE WWW.NSRI.ORG.ZA TO FIND OUT ADDITIONAL LOCAL SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY NUMBERS AND HAVE THESE PROGRAMMED IN YOUR PHONE). GIVE ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EMERGENCY TO RESCUE CONTROLLERS, KEEP YOUR PHONE LINE OPEN (RESPONDING RESCUERS WILL CALL YOU BACK TO GET ADDITIONAL CLARITY WHILE RESPONDING) AND NOTE CHANGES TO THE SITUATION AS THEY UNFOLD AND WHEN RESCUERS ARRIVE ON THE SCENE MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN TO THEM.
-ENDS-
