Paddlers monitored - Melkbosstrand. Flare sighting and boat assisted - Durban

MELKBOSSTRAND:Rhine Barnes, NSRI Melkbosstrand station commander, said:At 16h03, Friday, 03rd August, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew were activated following reports of paddlers appearing to be in difficulty off-shore of Melkbosstrand.While preparing the sea rescue craft Spirit of Brenda to be launched our shore crew, monitoring a group of paddlers behind the kelp line, determined that they were safe and heading towards shore and they were monitored until they beached safely but another group of paddlers further out to sea were observed with one paddler appearing to be in the water and attempting to re-board his paddle craft.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Brenda was launched as a precautionary measure and on arrival on the scene the paddler had managed to re-board his paddle craft and the paddlers indicated that no further assistance was required and they came ashore safely without incident.Our sea rescue crew stood down.DURBAN:Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said:At 20h43, Saturday, 04th August, NSRI Durban duty crew, while on a routine training exercise, were alerted by eye-witnesses to red distress flares sighted at Warner Dune.Our sea rescue vehicle responded and NSRI Rocky Bay were alerted.NSRI Rocky Bay confirmed that no boats were reported to be at sea in the vicinity at the time of the red distress flares and on arrival in the area eye-witnesses confirmed to hearing the flares being shot off and it was determined that they were activated from shore for unknown reasons.Then at 21h40 our sea rescue craft Megan II were diverted from routine training exercises to respond to Wilsons Wharf where a ski-boat, with 4 crew onboard, suffered a flat battery and they required assistance.On arrival on the scene a tow-line was rigged to the casualty boat and they were towed to the Neptune Ski-Boat club without incident and once their boat was recovered no further assistance was required.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE