ST HELENA BAY:At 16h00 on Monday the 16th March, NSRI Mykonos duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) reporting a crayfish bakkie (small fishing boat) capsized with 2 crew onboard, 1 nautical mile off-shore, between Veldrift and Dwarskersbos.Police confirmed that 1 crewman was ashore but 1 remained missing.NSRI Mykonos duty crew towed the sea rescue craft GEMINI RESCUER II to the location and WC Government Health EMS responded.On arrival on-scene both the skipper, Willem Adams, 49, and his crewman, Jacque Engelbrecht, 29, both from Noordhoek, Veldrift, were found safe on the beach in the care of Police and EMS paramedics.Both men were treated by paramedics for mild hypothermia, near drowning symptoms, and transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in stable conditions for observation for secondary drowning.Their boat, VICTOR LEE, remained at anchor and on a reef and the owner will make arrangements to recover the boat.It appears that they were capsized by a wave while fishing but both men managed to get safely to shore.Then at 17h24 on Monday the 16th March, TNPA activated NSRI Mykonos to respond to St Helena Bay following reports of a boat (also a crayfish bakkie) in difficulty but unknown in what difficulty the 2 fishermen onboard the casualty boat NEPTUNE were in.While responding on the call it was confirmed that the fishing vessel SOUTHERN HORIZON had taken the casualty boat under tow, both crewmen, local fishermen, were safe.NSRI Mykonos duty crew arrived at St Helena Bay to find SOUTHERN STAR towing the casualty boat safely to shore and no further assistance was required.It is suspected that their boat had developed mechanical motor failure.
SIMONSTOWN:At 15h01 on Tuesday the 17th March, NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated by the TNPA following reports of a capsized dinghy just off Simon's Town harbour.An SA Navy Harbour Patrol Boat had launched to go to the single crewman’s assistance and NSRI Simon's Town launched the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF SURFSKI II.On arrival on-scene we found that the Navy boat had rescued the 60 year old sailor from the water and had taken him safely ashore. NSRI assisted to right the capsized dinghy and she was towed safely back to shore and recovered.We treated the local man for mild hypothermia and he required no further assistance.It appears that he had capsized on a sailing dinghy and had attempted for about 45 minutes to right the craft before an eye-witness noticed that he was struggling and raised the alarm.
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Picture Chops Craig.