Busy weekend for rescuers around the Coast

• Medical assistance rendered at 3 calls over the weekend - Witsand Port Beaufort.
• Missing man found after a brief search - Port Alfred.
• False alarm with good intentions - Table View.
• Cyclists assisted - Plettenberg Bay:

WITSAND PORT BEAUFORT:Brian Stockton, NSRI Witsand Port Beaufort deputy station commander, said:NSRI Station Witsand Port Beaufort duty crew were activated at 10h15, Sunday, 18 February, to assist an injured fisherman who had sustained severe lacerations and head trauma after having slipped on the rocks at Witsand’s Main Beach while fishing.Our NSRI medics responded to the scene.The casualty, a 59 year old male, a farmer from Bultfontein in the Freestate, was fishing on the rocks when the accident occurred.Our NSRI medics administered medical treatment for multiple lacerations to his head, on his body, on both legs and on his chest.The patient was also found to be fitted with a heart pacemaker and the lacerations to his chest were directly above the area where the pacemaker was situated, further raising concerns.WC Government Health EMS Eden Control were alerted and an EMS ambulance were dispatched.On arrival on the scene EMS paramedics continued with medical treatment and the AMS/EMS Skymed helicopter was activated and the patient has been airlifted to hospital in a serious but stable condition.EMS paramedics commended NSRI Witsand Port Beaufort for their assistance on the scene.On Friday, 16 February, NSRI Witsand Port Beaufort medics responded to a reports of a man injured following a fall at Kraaltjie.On arrival on the scene we treated as 71 year old man, from Thornton, Cape Town, who had slipped and fallen at the Kraaltjie while launching his boat.WC Government Health EMS ambulance was activated and he was transported by EMS ambulance to hospital where he was treated for a cut and lacerations to the head and NSRI were informed that he has been discharged from hospital.On Saturday, 17 February, we responded to reports of a female injured following a fall at Main Beach.On arrival on the scene a 72 year old female local resident who had reportedly slipped and fallen on the rocks at the Main Beach while walking was treated for bruising to the back of the head and released requiring no further assistance.PORT ALFRED:Stephen Slade, NSRI Port Alfred deputy station commander, said:During the late afternoon of Sunday, 18th February, NSRI Port Alfred searched beaches West of Port Alfred after a man was reported missing by his family.The man had gone for a walk after lunch and was expected home earlier but by 17h00 having still not arrived home the alarm was raised.During a search the man was found safe and his family collected him at our sea rescue station.TABLEVIEW:Rhine Barnes, NSRI Melkbosstrand station commander said:At 20h17, Sunday, 18th February, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew were activated following an eye-witness report of a suspected surfer to be overdue and possibly in difficulty off-shore of Dolphin Beach, Table View.NSRI shore crew started a search and a sea rescue craft was launched.We escalated the call after an unmanned rental vehicle was found at the car park and NSRI Table Bay duty crew and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services were activated and WC Government Health EMS rescue were placed on alert.The owner of the vehicle was then located and found not to be related to the suspected missing surfer.After no reports of anyone missing or overdue were reported, at 23h00, the operation was suspended and strongly suspected to be a false alarm with good intentions.As a precaution Cape Town Fire and Rescue services rescue divers have launched a rescue rigid inflatable craft and rescue jet-ski's at first light, Monday, 19th February, to search the vicinity off-shore of Dolphin Beach and following the search they have confirmed that nothing has been found.PLETTENBERG BAY:Marc Rodgers, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, said:On Sunday, 18th February, at 08h11, NSRI medical crew responded to a cyclist injured on a cycling trail at CairnbrogieOn arrival on the scene a 57 year old man was treated for a fractured wrist and he has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition where he is to undergo surgery for a fractured wrist.An NSRI crew member, who had been cycling in the area at the time and who assisted at the incident at Cairnbrogie, she had continued cycling and later been involved in an accident herself.At 10h39, NSRI medical crew were activated to respond to our NSRI crew member who had fallen while cycling in Plettenberg Bay main town.We treated her for suspected concussion and she was transported to hospital by ambulance where she remains under observation.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE