UMKOMAAS:Kevin Fourie, NSRI Rocky Bay station commander, said:At approximately 06h00, Monday, 15th January, NSRI Rocky Bay duty crew were activated following a report to NSRI Durban of a boat capsized in the surf at Umkomaas.NSRI Rocky Bay crew members who live in the area responded directly to the scene and on arrival on the scene found the men coming ashore and they were not injured. Their boat was recovered onto the beach from shallow surf. The 3 men had been launching on a small Skeevy boat to go spearfishing when their boat capsized in the surfline. Once their boat was recovered no further assistance was required.
MELKBOSSTRAND:UPDATE: we have found the man who helped, read the story he posted on Facebook
https://goo.gl/dnhqcQMyck Jubber, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty coxswain, said:At 19h40, Monday, 15th January, during our routine NSRI station meeting at our Melkbosstrand sea rescue base, NSRI Station 18, we received a call on our emergency phone number. The man got the emergency phone number from the Pink Rescue Flotation Buoy sign 'Number 2', on Melkbosstrand Beach. He reported that a surfer had launched into the surf with the Pink Rescue Buoy to go to the aid of a body-boarder who was being swept out to sea in rip currents.NSRI Melkbosstrand lifeguards, who were at the station meeting at the time, kitted up and responded to the scene.On arrival on the scene a member of the public, using the Pink Rescue Buoy, was bringing the casualty to shore and he and the casualty were arriving on the beach through the surf.The casualty, a 52 year old male, from Paarl but who now lives in Sunningdale, was not injured.From what we understand the casualty, body-boarding at the time, lost his footing in a dip in the sand, in the surf, and behind a wave. He was swept away by a rip current and was trying to paddle back towards the shore but the rip current was taking him out to sea.Eye-witnesses on the beach raised the alarm and an ex NSRI Melkbosstrand duty controller, on the beach at the time, who noticed the commotion and also called the NSRI emergency phone number to alert NSRI Melkbosstrand.A group of surfers, appearing to be gearing up to go for a surf, were at the waters edge at the time and they had also noticed the man in trouble.A member of the public grabbed the Pink Rescue Flotation Buoy, on the beach off Pole Number 2, and he ran down to the waters edge. He gave the Pink rescue buoy to one of the surfers (we believe he is a regular local surfer, aged about 50) and the surfer launched into the surf with the Pink Buoy. He reached the casualty just behind the breakers and using the flotation of the Pink Rescue Buoy and the flotation of the casualties body-board they swam to shore through the surfline.At that stage, with NSRI lifeguards now in attendance, the surfer then picked up his surf board and went on his way. Unfortunately NSRI did not get the surfers details but we commend him and the bystanders quick actions.The casualty, not injured, also went on his way.
NSRI Pink Rescue Flotation Buoy
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE
