PORT EDWARD:
Alan Stilwell, NSRI Port Edward duty controller, said:
At 13h56, Saturday, 28th October, NSRI Port Edward duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Wild Coast Sun Rescuer to rendezvous with the commercial fishing boat Jabulani, suffering motor mechanical failure with 8 crew onboard, a nautical miles off-shore of Leisure Bay.
On arrival on the scene we took 7 crew members off the casualty boat and NSRI crew were put aboard the casualty boat and efforts to repair the motors resulted in one motor being temporarily repaired.
The 7 crew members were brought safely ashore aboard our sea rescue craft and the skipper of the casualty boat, accompanied by our NSRI rescue crew, brought his boat in safely to shore on one motor and once all were safely ashore and their boat recovered no further assistance was required.
PORT ELIZABETH:
Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander, said:
At 11h30, Saturday 28 October 2017, NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were activated to investigate a whale beached.
We had received a call from member of public reporting a beached Humpback Whale Calf at Hogan Park, approximately 4km along the beach to the east of the Port of Ngqura. Dr Greg Hofmeyr of the Marine Animal Stranding Network was contacted. Our NSRI rescue vehicle with 5 NSRI rescue crew was dispatched to the scene which was accessible along a 4×4 track.
The young 5 meter whale was found beached with small waves breaking around it, alive but very weak.
We evaluated the options of re-floating the whale but it was too heavy to man handle and in a outgoing tide and low lying rocks and a gradually shallowing beach made any effort impossible.
Dr Hofmeyr and DAFF ( Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) (Department of Environmental Affairs – Oceans and Coasts) evaluated the health of the whale, found to be weak and in an advanced unhealthy state. After all options were evaluated they decided that sadly the only course of action was humane euthanasia and the whale was humanely euthanised by authorities.
Dr Hofmeyer collected samples of the whale for research.
Authorities requested NSRI to reiterate to members of the public that should a marine animal be found in any kind of distress they are to contact their local Marine Animal Stranding Network or local marine authorities or call the local NSRI emergency number or national NSRI emergency number 112 and members of the public should not approach or attempt to handle a Marine animal in distress without the consent of local authorities to avoid further injury or distress to the animal and to avoid a danger to themselves. Authorities also remind the public that the possession of marine mammal remains without a permit is an offence.
EAST LONDON:
Geoff McGregor, NSRI East London station commander, said:
At 18h00, Saturday, 28th October, NSRI East London duty crew rescue swimmers, a Police K-9 search and rescue squad, the SA Police Services and Bufallo City Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Services responded to Eastern Beach following reports of a drowning in progress.
On arrival on the scene an extensive sea and shoreline search has revealed no sign of a missing 31 year old man, from Umtata, who is believed to have been swept out to sea by rip currents and disappearing under water while swimming.
A Police dive unit will continue an ongoing search operation and Police have opened an investigation into the incident.
GANSBAAI:
Deon Langenhoven, NSRI Hermanus station commander, said:
At 08h46, Sunday, 29th October, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from family of a 26 year old Pearly Beach fisherman. They reported him to be on a rubber-duck, overdue and missing – last known to be in the Dyer Island, Gansbaai vicinity, since Saturday night.
We launched the sea rescue craft South Star. Our NSRI rescue vehicle towed the sea rescue craft Jaytee III which we launched at Kleinbaai.
Following a search operation the rubber-duck and the fisherman was found safe and adrift on the rubber-duck and he reported motor mechanical failure since 18h00 the night before but, unable to raise the alarm, he drifted until we found him.
He was 2 nautical miles past Danger Point and about a nautical mile out to sea.
We towed his rubber-duck and he has been brought safely to shore where he was reunited with family. His rubber-duck was recovered and no further assistance was required.
NSRI urge boaters and anyone launching any kind of craft onto water to use the Free NSRI RSA SafeTrx cellphone application which allows users to send Maritime Rescue Authorities an alert in an emergency and it gives us their exact position.
Picture: By NSRI Hermanus. NSRI towing the casualty rubber-duck to shore.
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