SEA RESCUE – National – Thursday, 09th April.
PORT EDWARD:
At midday, Thursday, 09th April, NSRI crew member Marlene Livingstone, while returning to Port Edward on the R61 motorway, witnessed a Bakkie, with three people on the back roll at the turn off to Ramsgate.
Marlene used her NSRI medical training to render assistance to a man who suffered a severe laceration to his left elbow in the accident. The driver and passenger, although suffering shock, were not injured.
Marlene summoned Netcare 911 ambulance services, secured the safety of the scene and continued to render medical treatment to the injured man while also monitoring the conditions of the driver and passengers until a Netcare 911 ambulance, the SA Police Services and Traffic Services arrived on-scene and took over management of the accident scene.
A Netcare 911 ambulance transported the injured man to hospital in a stable condition.
PLETTENBERG BAY:
Marc Rodgers, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said:
'At 13h39, Thursday, 09th April, NSRI Plettenberg Bay, Med-Life Paramedic Services and The Mountain Club of South Africa Search and Rescue responded by road to Robberg Nature Reserve following reports of a woman who had fallen and suspected to have a fractured leg on the Robberg hiking trail.
'On arrival at the Robberg parking area a team of rescuers hiked about 4 kilometres to the scene, and on arrival on the scene 49 year old Xener Schuter, from Hamburg, Germany, with her husband and two daughters, was treated for a suspected sprained right ankle.
'It appears that she had slipped on a rock while hiking on the Robberg hiking trail with her family.
'Initially hopes were to secure her into a Stokes basket stretcher and carry her to the Robberg parking area to an awaiting Med-Life ambulance but on reconsideration for the comfort and well being of the patient NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew launched the sea rescue craft RAY FARNHAM and with the paramedic who was treating her injury, transported her by sea to the Plettenberg Bay Sea Rescue Station.
'A Med-Life ambulance has taken her to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment and recovery accompanied by her family who were driven by road to the Sea Rescue base in Plettenberg Bay.
'Mrs Schute is expected to fully recover to continue on her holiday with her family.
UPDATE: PLETTENBERG BAY. Thursday, 09th April.
It has been confirmed by hospital staff at Plettenberg Bay Medi-Clinic, following X-rays, that Xener Schuter, has a fractured ankle and not a sprained ankle as suspected. Mrs Schuter has been admitted to hospital for surgery. NSRI and the emergency services involved in her rescue today wish Mrs Schuter a speedy recovery.
CAPE POINT:
Ian Klopper, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said:
'At 11h30 on Thursday the 9th of April, NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Simon's Town were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports of a Crayfish Bakkie (small open fishing boat), with 3 men onboard, capsized at Platboom, Cape Point, 14 nautical miles from Kommetjie.
'NSRI Kommetjie launched the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF WINELANDS and NSRI Simonstown launched the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF SAFMARINE III.
'On arrival on-scene we found the 3 fishermen, who had reportedly been clinging onto the upturned hull of their capsized boat for almost an hour, unable to raise an alarm, until a sister boat, in the area at the time, came to their aid and raised the alarm.
'Their capsized boat was lying in the kelp line, close in-shore, and the sister boat, with her 3 crew members and the 3 casualty crew were lying alongside the capsized boat having not wanted to risk getting out through the surf line heavy laden with all 6 people onboard and risk also being capsized.
'The 3 casualty crew members, all fishermen from Ocean View, ages 45, 28 and 18, were transferred onto SPIRIT OF WINELANDS and their boat was towed out of the surf line in the capsized position by SPIRIT OF WINELANDS and taken to the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF SAFMARINE III, behind the breaker line, where she was righted.
'NSRI Kommetjie then took the 3 crew members to the slip way at the Crayfish Factory in Scarborough while NSRI Simon's Town towed the casualty boat towards Scarborough and once all 3 fishermen, who were not injured except suffering from mild hypothermia, were off loaded at Scarborough, and shore NSRI crew assisted to warm them, NSRI Kommetjie returned to take over the tow from SPIRIT OF SAFMARINE III and the casualty boat was towed safely to the slip way at the Crayfish Factory by SPIRIT OF WINELANDS.
'It appears that the boat had capsized while they were Crayfishing at Platboom after taking a wave over the bow the boat, heavy laden with water, was capsized by the next wave.
'Once all safely ashore and their boat safely recovered no further assistance was required.'
