Injuries on commercial boat and joint exercise

At 10h25 on Friday the 14th of August, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from Ocean Blue Adventures reporting multiple casualties, on their whale watching boat DAMARA, with injuries sustained to some passengers after the boat reportedly negotiated a wave, 1 nautical mile off Robberg Point.The sea rescue craft LEONARD SMITH was dispatched and on arrival on the scene it was found that a passenger from Dubai, a tourist, aged approximately in his early 40’s, had suffered a broken nose, lacerations to his lip, back pain and a fractured left arm.A doctor, a passenger onboard DAMARA, was administering medical assistance and NSRI medics assisted with treatment as well as treatment to a number of other passengers complaining of back pain and some suffering from motion sickness.The Dubai tourist, who declined to give any details, was stabilised and transferred onto the sea rescue craft and two adult females suffering motion sickness were also transferred onto the sea rescue craft.The wife of the Dubai tourist, complaining of back pain, declined to be transported to shore aboard the sea rescue craft.Additional passengers complaining of back pain and some with motion sickness were brought ashore aboard DAMARA and some of them sought additional medical attention once ashore.The Dubai tourist and the two females with severe motion sickness were brought to shore aboard the sea rescue craft and the Dubai tourist was transported to hospital for further treatment in a stable condition.

On Sunday the 16th of August, NSRI Plettenberg Bay, Plettenberg Bay Mountain Rescue and WC Government Health EMS conducted a joint rescue exercise to hone joint operating skills in JOC (Joint Operations Command) and in patient extrication techniques and patient care at Robberg Nature Reserve.Past rescue operations were re-enacted where difficult rescue extrications of patients were experienced in an effort to increase skills levels.An NSRI volunteer who recently conducted a High-Angle Rescue Technique Course shared skills learned on the course and each service shared skills specific to their expertise in patient care, patient extrication and high-angle rope rescue techniques.The joint operation exercise was described as successful with each service benefiting from the sharing of skills.