VAAL DAM:Jake Manten, NSRI Vaal Dam station commander, said:At 12h45, Saturday, 23rd February, NSRI Vaal Dam duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Rate Payers Bay, Deneysville, Vaal Dam.Our NSRI rescue craft Harvey's Fibreglass was launched and our rescue vehicle responded.On arrival on the scene a search commenced, including NSRI rescue swimmers conducting free-dive search efforts, for 3 male children aged 7,8 and 9 who were missing in the water after they and another male child had been swimming but the 3 got into difficulty and disappeared under water.Nearby fishermen had raised the alarm.The 4th male child, the brother of the 8 year old, was not injured. The remaining 2 children are a cousin, of the 2 brothers, and a friend.The SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit and FS Government Health EMS responded.Police divers conducted a scuba dive search and located and recovered the bodies of the 3 children.The bodies of the children have been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.Condolences are conveyed to the families of the children.It appears that they got into difficulty while swimming at an area that has shallow water leading to a lip with a sudden drop in water depth. Water conditions were rough waters with strong winds at the time.
JEFFREYS BAY:Ernie Schmidt, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty controller, said:At 18h15, Saturday, 23rd February, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a man rescued from the surf at a beach at Jeffreys Bay, at Point, and suspected to be suffering a heart attack.Our NSRI rescue vehicle responded and the SA Police Services, Gardmed ambulance services and Private Care ambulance services responded.On arrival on the scene we found a 55 year old male had been rescued from shallow surf by a bystander and CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were commenced.Despite extensive CPR efforts conducted by NSRI medics and by paramedics after all efforts were exhausted sadly the man has been declared deceased.The man and his wife are foreigners on a holiday to Jeffreys Bay with friends from Johannesburg.The wife and the friends are being supported by Police and Condolences are conveyed to his wife, family and friends.The body of the man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.The lady who rescued the man from the surf has been commended for her involvement.It appears that the man was swimming when he collapsed and it is suspected that he suffered a heart attack. A bystander assisted him from the surf and raised the alarm.
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE
