PORT EDWARD:John Nicholas, NSRI Port Edward station commander, said:At 09h20, Saturday, 14th April, NSRI Port Edward duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Silver Beach, Port Edward.Police Search and Rescue and KwaZulu Private ambulance services responded and NSRI Port Edward crew towed our Discovery Rescue Runner to the scene.On arrival on the scene we found all persons involved safely ashore.It appears that a 51 year old Nelspruit man was swept out to sea by rip-currents. 2 lifeguards on duty at the beach launched into the surf and reached the man but they were unable to get back to shore against strong rip currents.Dave Stern, aged in his 50’s, and his son Luke,13, (from Durban and who are regulars at Port Edward), witnessed the lifeguards and the casualty caught in rip currents. They called NSRI to raise the alarm and then, knowing that NSRI were on their way, they voluntarily grabbed 2 lifeguard Malibu rescue boards from the lifeguards post on the beach and they launched into the surf. They were able to rescue the casualty and assist both lifeguards. All 5 reached the beach using the Malibu rescue boards. The casualty was medically examined by paramedics and he was found to not be injured and no further assistance was required..Dave and Luke Stern are commended for their actions taken today.
KLEINMOND:Stephan Malherbe, NSRI Hermanus duty coxswain, said:At 14h18, Saturday, 14th April, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following multiple eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress at Kleinmond. The sea rescue craft Jaytee III was towed to the scene and launched and the SA Police Services, ERM ambulance services and the WC Government Health EMS responded.A male, aged in his 63, from Table View (originally from Windhoek), had been swept off rocks into the surf and he was seen to be in difficulty in the surf.Alec Mackenzie, 30, from Somerset West, who was nearby at the time, heard of the incident and grabbed his diving gear and he grabbed a bystanders body board and he launched into the surf and reached the casualty about 200 meters off-shore floating face down in the water and he was able to get the casualty onto the body board and then drifted with the surf currents until the NSRI sea rescue craft reached them.Both men were taken onboard the sea rescue craft and NSRI medics initiated CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts on the 63 year old casualty and on reaching the Kleinmond slip-way NSRI medics and paramedics continued with CPR efforts.The man was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance with CPR efforts continuing and NSRI paramedics went in the ambulance to hospital assisting the EMS paramedics with the ongoing CPR efforts which were continued in hospital but sadly after all CPR efforts were exhausted the man has been declared deceased.Condolences are conveyed to family.Alec Mackenzie is commended for his actions taken today.
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE
