Hijacked couple assisted - Strandfontein. Boat assisted - Port Edward. False alarm with good intentions - Simon's Town. 2 men rescued - Kommetjie. Non-fatal drowning - Richards Bay. Hikers rescued and swimmers rescued - George and Wilderness:

STRANDFONTEIN:Vaughn Seconds, NSRI Strandfontein station commander, said:NSRI Strandfontein station hosted a pre-season get together on Friday night, 25th November, at the NSRI Strandfontein base.At approximately 22h30 we were activated by local fishermen reporting a couple appearing to be in trouble on the beach North of Strandfontein Beach.We dispatched our sea rescue vehicle and our rescue quad bike and on arrival on the scene we found an abandoned vehicle in amongst the sand dunes and we activated the SA Police Services.A short while later a Police Patrol vehicle happened upon a man and a woman, aged in their 30’s, from Mitchell’s Plain, who were running along Lukkanon Drive along the beach front.Both were in shock reporting to have been hijacked by a group of men who had followed them in a vehicle while they were leaving Mitchell’s Plain in their vehicle, and the men had driven their vehicle to in amongst the sand dunes but the couple were able to escape.Police brought the couple to the sea rescue base in Strandfontein where our NSRI medics treated them for shock and family were summoned to collect them.Police are investigating the incident.PORT EDWARD:Alan Stilwell, NSRI Port Edward duty controller, said:At 14h30, Saturday, 26th November, NSRI Port Edward duty crew activated following a request for assistance from the local boat Sea Merc reporting motor mechanical failure while returning to Port Edward but still able to limp along at reduced speed with 4 crew onboard.The skipper requested assistance to get some crew off the craft before attempting to beach his craft and the NSRI’s Discover Rescue Runner was dispatched to meet them on their arrival at the back-line.On their arrival at the back-line the skipper confirmed that he had managed to make a temporary repair of his motors and escorted by the sea rescue Discovery Rescue Runner he was able to beach without incident and no further assistance was required.SIMON'S TOWN:At 15h13, Saturday, 26th November, NSRI Simon's Town duty crew dispatched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III and Spirit of Surfski II following reports of a paddler in difficulty off-shore of the Black Marlin Restaurant.Folks at a wedding suspected the paddler to be in grave danger about a nautical mile out to sea and they raised the alarm.On arrival on the scene the trouble turned out to be a floatation buoy bobbing up and down on the sea surface giving the wedding go’ers the impression that it was a paddler in difficulty and the sea rescue craft returned to base following the false alarm with good intentions. Spirit of Surfski II - Photographer Stefan SmutsKOMMETJIE:Ian Klopper, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said:At 16h04, Saturday, 26th November, NSRI Kommetjie duty crew, having just completed a test run with the brand new NSRI Kommetjie 4.2 meter sea rescue craft IL Batello on her first trip to sea, and while returning to the Kommetjie slip way we were diverted to respond to assist two local men, aged 31 and 33, being blown out to sea on a small inflatable craft at Bone Yards, off-shore of Kommetjie.On arrival on the scene, 100 meters off-shore, the two men were taken onboard our sea rescue craft and their inflatable craft was recovered and once safely ashore they required no further assistance.They had been catching crayfish on the first day crayfish season which opened officially on Saturday 26th November.NSRI urge folks who go to catch crayfish around the coast during this crayfishing season to exercise caution, take heed of low tides and high tides, and have safety top of mind.RICHARDS BAY:Dorian Robertson, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, said:At 18h18, Saturday, 26th November, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated following reports from ITSS ambulance services of a drowning in progress at Bay Hall Recreational area in the Port of Richards Bay.Our sea rescue vehicle responded and on arrival on the scene found a 22 year old male who was in difficulty while swimming had been rescued by bystanders.Our NSRI medics administered medical treatment to the semi-conscious man suffering non-fatal drowning symptoms and he was handed into the care of Netcare 911 ambulance services on their arrival on the scene and transported top hospital in a serious but stable condition.GEORGE DAM and WILDERNESS BEACH:Robert van Helsdingen, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:At 20h35, Saturday, 26th November, NSRI Wilderness duty crew responded to George Dam where the sea rescue craft Oscars Rescue was launched to assist the WC Government Health EMS to locate and recover 3 local hikers who had lost their way while hiking around the dam and with nightfall they had raised the alarm.They were located on the Northern side of George Dam and taken aboard our sea rescue craft and brought to the Slip Way on the Southern side of the dam where once safely ashore they required no further assistance.Earlier in the day, at 16h28, we were activated to reports of a German couple being swept out to sea by rip-currents at Wilderness Beach but prior to arriving on the scene it was confirmed that surfers had assisted the couple to shore safely and no further assistance was required.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE