Incidents in Yzerfontein, Hawston, Mossel Bay, Gordons Bay, Port Edward, Hout Bay:

YZERFONTEIN:Andre Livingston-Louw, NSRI Yzerfontein deputy station commander, said:On Saturday, 24th December, NSRI Yzerfontein duty crew were activated after a 20 year old woman, from Wellington, and two young men from Stellenbosch University, were swept off the harbour wall by waves and landing in amongst rocks they had been injured.NSRI and emergency services treated the female for suspected spinal fractures and she was transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition. The two young men were treated for cuts and bruises.It was confirmed on Sunday that the woman had sustained a fractured coccyx and was recovering at home.HAWSTON:Deon Langenhoven, NSRI Hermanus station commander, said:At 16h08, Sunday, 25th December, NSRI Hermanus duty crew dispatched the sea rescue craft Jaytee III and our rescue vehicle to Hawston following reports of a drowning in progress.Law Enforcement, the SA Police Services and WC Government Health EMS also responded.On arrival on the scene a search commenced for a 21 year old local man who had reportedly been seen going under water 300 meters from shore after being swept off rocks by waves and caught in rip currents.Despite an extensive search no sign of the man has been found and a Police Dive Unit have been alerted and will continue and ongoing search operation.Police have opened an investigation.Picture above is of the NSRI Hermanus sea rescue craft Jaytee III searching the coastline for the missing 21 year old man.MOSSEL BAY:Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said:At, Sunday, 25th December, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Glentana.Prior to our arriving on the scene we were informed that lifeguards and paramedics were attending to an 11 year old girl who had washed onto the beach after getting into difficulty in the surf.The child was resuscitated on the beach and transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition.Then at 18h12, Sunday, 25th December, we responded Sea Rescue craft and our rescue vehicle to De Bakke following reports of a drowning in progress.On arrival on the scene 3 teenage boys were out of the water after reportedly getting into difficulty in rip currents but concerns of a 4th person possibly missing in the water saw us continue a sea and shoreline search but no reports of any person outstanding were received and we suspect that the person got out of the water without assistance.GORDONS BAY:Alan Mieklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:At 20h10, Sunday, 25th December, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a concerned wife reporting a her husband and his friend, aged in their 30’s, from Strand, overdue from a paddle on paddle boards.We dispatched crew along the Strand beach front and finally found the men some 2 kilometers further down the beach front from where they were supposed to be. They had safely come ashore and they required no assistance.It appears, on their first ever paddle, they had misjudged the wind strength which was a stiff 25 knot South Easterly, but they had finally made it to shore.NSRI urge paddlers to download the free phone app “RSA Safetrx” which will activate NSRI in an emergency by the push of a button and give us your exact location.PORT EDWARD:Alan Stilwell, NSRI Port Edward duty controller, said:On Sunday afternoon, 25th December, while returning home along the R61 an NSRI crew member happened upon a motor vehicle accident where a car was found to have left the roadway and crashed into bushes.NSRI Port Edward medics responded to assist while the emergency services were activated.Hibiscus Fire and Rescue Services, KZN Government Health EMS, Hibiscus Traffic Services and the SA Police Services arrived on the scene and NSRI medics assisted paramedics treating two local men who sustained serious head injuries in the accident and they were transported to hospital by ambulance in serious but stable conditions.HOUT BAY:At 20h51, Sunday, 25th December, NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI coast watchers from Hout Bay, Noordhoek and Kommetjie were alerted after red distress flares were sighted in the vicinity of Chapman's Peak or The Sentinel.Investigations revealed the the flares were most likely set off from land in the vicinity of The Sentinel for unknown reasons and no further action was required.NSRI SAFETY:

• NSRI are urging boaters and paddlers to download the NSRI free 'app' Safetrx. Found on the NSRI web page at www.nsri.org.za the RSA Safetrx App is a free cellphone app that is used to help us to easily and immediately know that you are in trouble and in need of sea rescue and gives us your exact location, amongst other uses.
• The New Moon Spring Tide peaks on Thursday, 29th of December. From now and until Monday, 2nd of January, stronger than normal rip currents will be experienced around the coast and extreme caution is advised.

TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE