Incidents in Richard's Bay and Plettenberg Bay

RICHARDS BAY:Jacques Kruger, NSRI Richards Bay duty coxswain, said:At 16h00, Monday, 19th March, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports from Telkom Maritime Radio Services of the 18 foot ski-boat Blue with 2 local men onboard that radioed for assistance East of Richards Bay following motor mechanical failure and her crew battling on one motor in strong winds and attempting to reach Port.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Richards Bay was launched and we rendezvoused with the casualty boat 7 nautical miles from Port.A towline was rigged to the casualty boat and we towed them to the Port of Richards Bay and once safely moored no further assistance was required. PLETTENBERG BAY:Ross Badenhorst, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty controller, said:At 10h11, Tuesday, 20th March, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports from an eye-witness, the father in law of an NSRI crewman, of a Kayak noticed unmanned in the Keurbooms River Mouth but 2 paddlers who had earlier been seen paddling near to the river mouth could not be located.Our duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Airlink Rescuer and our rescue runner Free Runner while additional crew responded to observation posts in that vicinity.On arrival on the scene we found a female, from Ontario, Canada, believed to be aged in her 60's, safe ashore after her husband had gone to her assistance after they were sucked out the river mouth while attempted to cross the river in kayaks on the inside of the river mouth.It appears that the female had capsized and had been in the water when her husband assisted her.She was not injured and we assisted to get their kayaks up river where they were recovered and no further assistance was required.