Car plunges down a cliff at Smitswinkel Bay

At 17h54, Wednesday, 11th May, NSRI Simon's Town duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports of a car plunged off the roadway down a cliff at Smitswinkel Bay, between Simon's Town and Cape Point.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski II, a sea rescue vehicle, CMR (Cape Medical Response) paramedics, a Police Sea Borderline Patrol boat, WC Government Health EMS, the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, the SA Police Services and WSAR (Wilderness Search and Rescue) responded.Rescue resources arriving on the road side were not able to gain access to the vehicle which was approximately 150 meters down a cliff, on the shoreline, and partially submerged in the sea due to the barely accessible terrain and a Police Sea Borderline Patrol boat, that arrived first from the sea side, were able to deploy a Police officer onto the shore and he located one female in a critical condition at the vehicle and it was confirmed that she was the sole occupant of the vehicle.The vehicle was on the edge of the shore, partially submerged, appearing to have plunged down the cliff from the roadway from unknown causes.The Skymed rescue helicopter arrived on the scene and a rescue paramedic was deployed from the helicopter onto the scene and he joined the Police officer already on the scene and they rendered emergency medical treatment to the female. The sea rescue craft arrived on the scene and two NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed from the sea rescue craft and they swam ashore to render assistance to the EMS rescue paramedic and to the Police diver who were already engaged in treating the patient.Once stabilised the patient was airlifted aboard the Skymed rescue helicopter to the roadway where paramedics continued medical treatment and once stabilised, but in a serious condition, the patient, believed to be a 20 year old local female, has been airlifted aboard the EMS/AMS skymed helicopter to hospital.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE Image source: Wikivillage