SEA RESCUE – Ballito – Tuesday, 11 June. Fishing Kayak assisted:

Quentin Power, NSRI Ballito station commander, said:At 08h25, Tuesday, 11 June, NSRI Ballito duty crew were activated following reports of a fishing kayak taking water 800 meters off-shore of Salt Rock.Our sea rescue wave runner jet-ski was towed to the scene to be launched and Kwadakuza Municipal lifeguards were activated.On arrival on the scene we found the fisherman of the casualty sea kayak was being assisted by a fellow fisherman on a sea kayak who was assisting by bailing water from the casualty craft and who had made the call for assistance and they were at the backline and the Kwadakuza lifeguards on a surf rescue jet-ski were approaching the scene and the lifeguards arrived at the casualty crafts side while the casualty craft navigated through the surfline, accompanied by the Kwadakuza lifeguards, and they reached the beach safely where our NSRI crew and the lifeguards assisted them onto the beach and to safety.No further assistance was required.We commend the lifeguards for their quick response and the 2 fishermen for paddling in teams and for alerting sea rescue without hesitation on the first sign of an emergency.It appears the casualty craft may have been damaged during a launch in heavy surf that may have contributed to the craft taking water.