SEA RESCUE – Eastern Cape and Western Cape. Tuesday, 29th December. Incidents Arniston, Struisbaai and St Francis Bay:STRUISBAAI and ANNISTON:At 06h00, Monday, 28th December, NSRI Agulhas duty crew activated to assist a local fishing vessel (chuckie) suffering mechanical motor failure off Arniston. The vessel, Oslo, with six men onboard, was fishing between Arniston and Struisbaai when their motor suffered problems. Water contamination is suspected. A Sea Rescue craft was launched with a supply of clean diesel. On arrival on the scene fresh diesel was supplied and the problem was resolved and with no further assistance required by the chuckie the Sea Rescue craft returned to base.Then at 17:30 a member of the public reported a man on a kayak in difficulty off Arniston. It was reported that the person has difficulty getting back on the kayak and was bailing water out of the kayak. The Sea Rescue craft I J Rescuer IV was dispatched by road to Arniston to be launched on the scene and the the Sea Rescue craft Rescue 30 launched from Struisbaai as backup. Overberg Fire Rescue and Provincial EMS also responded to Arniston. Upon arrival at Arniston the kayaker was found to have been able to right his kayak and he was slowly making his way to Arniston harbour. Rescue 30 escorted the man and ensured that he made it safely to shore and once safely ashore no further assistance was required.
ST FRANCIS BAY:During the morning, Monday, 28th December, NSRI St Francis Bay monitored safety during a paddle race where at the finishing line, at Main Beach, a man, believed to be 51 years old suffered a fatal heart attack.NSRI medics assisted 2 Cardiologists, believed to have been part of the paddle race and who happened to be at the beach at the time and who immediately began CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts.Private Care ambulance services were on the scene within minutes and paramedics assisted with the CPR efforts but sadly despite extensive CPR efforts the man was declared dead on the scene.At 15h30, NSRI St Francis Bay launched the Sea Rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II to assist a man and a woman on a capsized Hobie-Cat 2 nautical miles off St Francis Bay Lighthouse.NSRI St Francis Bay received 60 phone calls from eye-witnesses reporting the incident and NSRI thank everyone who called for their concern.Both persons were wearing life-jackets and were found hanging onto their upturned Hobie-Cat in the gusting to 30 knot winds and they were rescued, their craft was righted, and they were brought ashore without incident and they required no further assistance.
At 15h30, NSRI St Francis Bay launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II to assist a man and a woman on a capsized Hobie-Cat 2 nautical miles off-shore of St Francis Bay Lighthouse.This picture is downloadable from
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