Marc Rodgers, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said:'At 12h45, Thursday, 04th June, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew was called to help a lady due at hospital for medical treatment but the road from their home had been cut off by the heavy rain which had flooded the river, at Stoff Pad Road, Wittedrift, just outside Plettenberg Bay.'Heavy rains over the past days have resulted in a number of areas being inaccessible due to swollen and flooded rivers.'We dispatched our sea rescue vehicle and on arrival on the scene found 82 year old Jean Sparge in the company of her family and needing to get across the river.'Ropes were secured from our sea rescue vehicle to a tree on their side of the river. Mrs Sparge was secured into our floating sea rescue stretcher, the stretcher was secured to the rope, and accompanied by NSRI rescue swimmers she was brought across the river safely without incident.'Once across the river Mrs Sparge was transported to hospital in our sea rescue vehicle.'Then at 13h00 NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were placed on alert following a request to crew evacuate a crewman off the crayfish fishing trawler RIGEL 4.'The crewman, 34 year old Galant Charleston, had a family emergency to attend to in Cape Town and RIGEL 4 headed towards Plettenberg Bay so that Mr Charleston could get to shore with NSRI Plettenberg Bay’s assistance.'At 17h00 we launched our sea rescue craft RAY FARNHAM and rendezvoused with the trawler which had anchored in the Bay off Plettenberg Bay.“Mr Charleston was transferred onto our sea rescue craft and he was brought ashore and transported to the bus depot and he is heading home to Cape Town to be with his family.”
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