JOHANNESBURG: At midday, Saturday, 19th March, NSRI Victoria Lake, Germiston, were requested to assist Police in an ongoing search on the Klein Jukskei River, Chartwell, near to Fourways, for a 58 year old woman who had gone missing after being swept down the river on Thursday evening. Emergency Services had conducted an extensive search since the incident occurred and NSRI were requested to join the Police in their ongoing search operation on Saturday.NSRI Victoria Lake duty crew, a Police Dive Unit, a Police K-9 search and rescue squad and a Police helicopter continued the ongoing search along the river and NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam launched rescue craft to search a section of the Hartbeespoort Dam and as far up the river as they could reach by boat but despite the extensive search no sign of the woman has been found.On Monday, 21st March, NSRI Victoria Lake duty crew joined Police again in the ongoing search operation but there remains no sign of the missing woman. Earlier reports suggested that during a brief flash flood on Thursday evening the vehicle which the woman was driving had got stuck on a bridge in the flood waters and it is believed that the woman exited the vehicle in an attempt to wade across to the bank before being swept down the river.
HERMANUS: At 23h14, Thursday, 17th March, NSRI Hermanus duty crew responded and launched a sea rescue craft at Fisherhaven Lagoon following bystander reports of a man shouting for help from the lagoon but in the dark only the shouts for help could be heard and no physical sighting of anyone in trouble could be seen. Despite an extensive search on the lagoon, assisted by Police, no sign of anyone in difficulty could be found.On Saturday, 19th March, it was revealed by Police (who had investigated the incident) that a local adult man from the local Benguela Settlement had quarrelled with his wife during a party when the man drove his Mercedes into the lagoon and he is suspected to have threatened suicide before shouting for help (the shouts were heard by bystanders who raised the alarm). It is believed that later the man got out of the water and he walked home. It is believed that the vehicle was recovered the next day.At 20h00, Saturday, 19th March, NSRI Hermanus duty crew investigated eye-witness reports of a red distress flare sighted off-shore of De Kelders. After no further flares were sighted, and with no persons reported overdue or missing, and no sign of any vessels in distress no further action was taken and by Sunday, 20th March, with still no reports of any persons missing or overdue the origin and reason of the red distress flare activation remains a mystery.At 10h23, Monday, 21st March, NSRI Hermanus duty crew, WC Government Health EMS and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter were activated to respond to Pearly Beach following eye-witness reports of a paddler in difficulty, 500 meters off-shore, on a Sea-Kayak. Prior to emergency teams arriving on the scene, a private boat, with two men onboard who were fishing in the area, were alerted by friends of the paddler in distress and they went to his assistance and rescued the 52 year old paddler, from Parow, and they brought him to shore and he required no further assistance. All responding resources were stood down to return to base.
SHELLY BEACH: At 09h20, Sunday, 20th March, NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Dawn to assist the fishing boat Fishfull Thinking, with 5 crew onboard, suffering motor mechanical failure to one of their two outboard motors just off the backline at Shelly Beach. The skipper of the casualty craft was not willing to bring his boat ashore under one motor with the remaining 4 crew onboard and he requested assistance from the Shelly Beach launching site control and they alerted NSRI.4 crew were taken off the fishing boat onto the sea rescue craft and the skipper remained onboard his casualty boat and he was able to bring his boat safely ashore under the power of the remaining one motor. The remaining 4 crew were brought ashore aboard the sea rescue craft without incident and once all were ashore, and the boat, no further assistance was required.
MOSSEL BAY: At 19h20, Sunday, 20th March, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew launched their sea rescue craft to assist the yacht JML Rotary suffering motor mechanical failure that required assistance to get into the harbour to her berth from just outside of the harbour entrance. NSRI Mossel Bay towed the boat to a safe berthing inside the harbour without incident and no further assistance was required.
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE
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