Boat assisted - Port Elizabeth. Search for lost hikers - Plettenberg Bay and Scarborough

PORT ELIZABETH:Justin Erasmus, NSRI Port Elizabeth deputy station commander, said:At 14h53, Sunday, 24th December, NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) followinga request for assistance from a 24 foot ski-boat reporting flat batteries and unable to get their motor started 11 nautical miles from the Port of Port Elizabeth at RIJ Banks in Algoa Bay.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft was launched and on arrival on the scene the 5 crew, 1 adult female, 3 adult males and a male teenager were found safe.A towline was rigged and their ski-boat was towed to Port without incident and no further assistance was required.SCARBOROUGH:Rob Caine, NSRI Kommetjie duty coxswain, said:At 18h37, Sunday, 24th December, NSRI Kommetjie crew launched a search for a missing man in the Scarborough vicinity.A 50 year old male had gone for a walk from a residence in Scarborough but failed to return.Local neighbourhood watch patrollers and NSRI Kommetjie crew started a search in the area and during the search the man was found safe reporting that he had gotten lost on a hike and with no further assistance required he went home.PLETTENBERG BAY:Robbie Gibson, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said:At 17h47, NSRI Plettenberg Bay crew launched a search for an elderly man who had been separated from a group of 4 persons on a hike from Keurbooms to Natures Valley.During a search the missing man arrived at Forest Hall at 17h59 and he was reunited with the group and no further assistance was required.It appears that he got lost after being separated from the group but he was able to find his way back to the trail.