DURBAN:Andre Fletcher, NSRI Durban station commander, said:At 17h30, Sunday, 25th August, NSRI Durban duty crew and eThekwini Lifesaving lifeguards were activated following reports from eThekwini Metro Police Search and Rescue of a drowning in progress at Wedge Beach, Durban.An NSRI rescue swimmer responded directly to the scene to join eThekwini lifeguards who had initiated a search using a lifeguard jet ski and the NSRI rescue swimmer entered the water conducting free dive search efforts.Our sea rescue craft was towed to the scene using our sea rescue vehicle and eThekwini Metro Police Search and Rescue officers and the SA Police Services responded.Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search no sign of a 29 year old male, believed to be from Soweto, Gauteng, reported by eye witnesses to have disappeared under water, has been found.eThekwini Metro Police Search and Rescue and the SA Police Services, supported by lifeguards, will continue in an ongoing search operation.Police have opened an investigation into the incident.
ST FRANCIS BAY:Sara Smith, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, said:At 17h52, Sunday, 25th August, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew, during routing training exercises, diverted our sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II to respond to rendezvous with a Chokka fishing vessel where a crewman was reported to be suffering a medical emergency, 3.5 nautical miles East of the Port of St Francis.On arrival on the scene our NSRI medics initiated emergency medical treatment and transferred the adult male onto our sea rescue craft and he was brought to our sea rescue station where Private Care ambulance services paramedics took over care of the patient and he has been transported to hospital by Private Care ambulance in a serious but stable condition.At 19h39, Sunday, 25th August, our NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were activated following a request for medical assistance from a Chokka fishing boat reporting a crewman to be suffering a medical emergency where they were at anchor 1 nautical mile off-shore of the Port of St Francis.Our sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II was launched and on arrival on the scene our NSRI medics boarded the vessel and medical treatment was initiated and the patient was secured into a Stokes basket stretcher and transferred onto our sea rescue craft.In a serious but stable condition the patient was brought to our sea rescue station where Private Care ambulance services paramedics took over care of the patient and he has been transported to hospital by Private Care ambulance in a serious but stable condition.
