EAST LONDON:Geoff McGregor, NSRI East London station commander, said:At 02h00, Wednesday, 21st November, NSRI East London duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a request for medical assistance for one of their crewmen.The 200 meter bulk tanker, still far off East London, last Port of Call Port Elizabeth, had been instructed to come towards the Port of East London by MRCC in conjunction with Telkom Maritime Radio Services after a Government Health EMS Duty doctor evaluated the Vietnamese patient suffering suspected appendicitis.At 05h00, Wednesday, 21st November, the NSRI East London sea rescue craft Spirit of Lotto was launched and rendezvoused with the ship in East London Bay and the patient was transferred to the sea rescue craft and brought safely to shore in a stable condition and an Aldersons ambulance service ambulance transported the patient to hospital in stable condition for further treatment.
GLENCAIRN:Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said:At 16h05, Wednesday, 21st November, NSRI Simonstown duty crew and CMR (Cape Medical Response) ambulance service were activated following eye-witness reports of a windsurfer in difficulty off-shore of Glencairn.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III was launched and on arrival on the scene, following a brief search, the windsurfer, a local man, was found to have drifted a nautical mile out to sea from where he originally got into difficulty after striking a seal in the water that damaged his windsurfer.The man was not able to raise the alarm himself and NSRI commend the eye-witness for their vigilance in this incident that may have saved the mans life.He was rescued onto the sea rescue craft and his kite and his windsurfer was recovered.He was not injured and he was brought to our sea rescue station in Simonstown and we assisted him back to his car at Glencairn and no further assistance was required.
TABLEVIEW:Quentin Botha, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said:At 18h06, Wednesday, 21st November, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were alerted to investigate a possible surf-skier in difficulty off-shore of Sunset Beach, Tableview.NSRI Table Bay crew were dispatched to Sunset Beach to investigate.The City of Cape Town Water Rescue Network (NSRI, CoCT Fire and Rescue Services Dive Unit, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad, CoCT Pro Lifesaving, CoCT Law Enforcement Marine Unit, Cape Town Surf Lifesaving clubs, SA Police Services Dive Unit, Private and Volunteer ambulance services) were placed on alert.Law Enforcement Marine officers and ER24 ambulance services responded to assist with a shoreline search and NSRI Table Bay dispatched a sea rescue vehicle and the sea rescue craft Spirit of Day was launched.During a search and ongoing investigation it became evident that a lady taking part in an informal surf-ski paddler competition was overdue and had not arrived at the finish at Eden Bay, Blouberg, as expected.NSRI Table Bay launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and NSRI Melkbosstrand were activated.Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services dive unit, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad were dispatched to join a search in fast fading light conditions.During a search it was confirmed by friends of the lady that she had swum ashore abandoning her surf-ski at sea and she was not injured and safe.It appears that a fellow surf-skier had located the abandoned surf-ski but in strong winds the abandoned surf-ski kept knocking her off her own surf-ski, a fellow surf-skier came to her assistance and she was able to get onto her own surf-ski and paddle to Eden Bay safely where she confirmed that the casualty surf-skier was safely ashore.NSRI commend the eye-witnesses and multiple emergency services agencies involved in the operation and we continue to encourage paddlers, boaters and wind sailors to use NSRI RSA SafeTrx free cellphone application when launching onto water and to alert NSRI when they get into difficulties.
GORDONS BAY: Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:At 19h07, Wednesday, 21st November, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a 45 foot fishing vessel with 13 crew onboard, they had grounded on a sand bank during efforts to enter Gordons Bay harbour for routine repairs in a low tide just off-shore of the Naval Academy Harbour wall.NSRI Gordons Bay launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski and WC Government Health EMS rescue squad, the SA Police Services, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services dive unit and GB Med Security ambulance service responded.On arrival on the scene the crew of the casualty craft were safe onboard their vessel and we waited on an incoming tide before towing them to deeper waters where they anchored for the night.No further assistance was required and they will investigate options to undertake routine repairs on Thursday.
BANTRY BAY:PJ Rabie, NSRI Bakoven station commander, said:At 20h09, Wednesday, 21st November, NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Table Bay were alerted to reports of red distress flares suspected to have been deployed off-shore of Bantry Bay.During investigations it was determined that a aerial drone had been flying in the vicinity with a red light on the drone giving eye-witnesses the false impression of red distress flares.The drone and the drone operator could not be found and the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) have been alerted to this incident.The eye-witnesses are commended for alerting NSRI as the red light on the frone gave the distinct impression of a red distress flare.
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE