NSRI SAFETY APPEAL:NSRI continue to appeal to the public to only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards and only swim during the lifeguard beach stand-by times.NSRI are appealing to boaters and paddlers of craft launching to go to sea to download, from our web page
www.searescue.org.za, and use the free cellphone app. NSRI RSA SafeTrx.NSRI are appealing to parents and care providers to ensure children have responsible safety supervision in and around water and when swimming.NSRI, Lifeguards, Maritime authorities, Emergency Services, Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue Services, Police, Traffic and Law Enforcement are on high alert to assist the public during the summer vacation period and we are urging the public to have a safety conscious mind-set in and around our coastal and inland waterways.The next Spring Tide is on 12th December at Full Moon. The higher than normal high tides and the lower than normal low tides has already begun around the coast and will peak on the 12th December and last until at least around the 17th December. Caution around the coast is advised to bathers, anglers and coastal hikers.
INCIDENTS:LANGEBAAN:
Mike Shaw, NSRI Mykonos station commander, said:At 14h13, Thursday, 05 December, NSRI Mykonos duty crew were activated following reports of 4 females on Kayaks being swept off-shore by strong off-shore winds and off-shore currents on Langebaan Lagoon.The sea rescue craft Spirit of East London II was launched while NSRI rescue crew responded to the shoreline.On arrival on the scene two female teenagers, aged 14 and 15, on kayaks, were rescued 500 meters off-shore and a local man with a kite-board, who had attempted to assist them, was also taken onto the sea rescue craft.They were brought to shore and reunited with the parent and the 3rd teenager who had managed to get back to shore safely.The parent and one teenager had reached the shore to raise the alarm after one of the rescued teenagers lost her paddle in the strong winds. A man with a kite-board attempted to assist the 2 girls on their kayaks but they were blown away towards rocks together in the strong off-shore winds and NSRI reached them 500 meters off-shore.With all safely ashore and not injured no further assistance was required.
PLETTENBERG BAY:Ross Badenhorst, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said:At 04h58, Friday, 06 December, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Central beach.NSRI rescue swimmers responded and on arrival on the scene no persons in difficulty could be found.On investigation it was confirmed that a male bystander had used an NSRI Pink rescue buoy, stationed at Central Beach, to assist a man who had been in difficulty in the surfline and both were safe out the water.NSRI commend the bystander who went into the surf to assist and we commend the bystanders who used the information on the Pink rescue buoy signboard to raise the alarm.Then, at 07h11, with NSRI rescuers on the scene for the initial call, a surfer was spotted by fishermen in difficulty in the surf at The Gap, on the Robberg Peninsula, in heavy 6 foot sea swells and appearing to be attempting to paddle out of danger but caught in rip currents.The sea rescue craft Free Runner was launched and reached the surfer, a local 22 year old male, 700 meters off-shore, and took him onboard and brought him safely to shore and once safely ashore he required no further assistance.
CAMPS BAY:Luke van Riet, NSRI Bakoven station commander, saidOn Saturday, 07 December, at 17h09, NSRI Bakoven duty crew, while at sea on routine exercises, we were diverted following eye-witness reports of a person on a paddle board or a surfboard, suspected to be in difficulty in heavy surf conditions and strong winds, off-shore of The Glen.NSRI crew responded to the scene with binoculars to investigate and our sea rescue craft diverted to respond to the scene.During a search, when no sign of a person in difficulty could be found, NSRI Table Bay duty crew launched sea rescue craft to assist in the search.Following a thorough search no sign of a person in difficulty could be found and no reports of a person overdue or missing had been received.We suspect that this was a false alarm with good intentions.On Sunday, 08 December, Clifton Surf Lifesaving lifeguards responded to Camps Bay Beach following eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress.NSRI Bakoven and emergency services were activated and preparing to respond when lifeguards confirmed that a swimmer was safe out the water and no assistance was required.
NATIONAL:In other incidents:On Wednesday, 04 December, NSRI Witsand assisted at a scene at The Bar, at the Breede River Mouth, where a Rigid Inflatable Boat got into difficulty but her crew managed to self rescue and NSRI checked on them finding that they were fine.On Wednesday, 04 December, NSRI Simonstown investigated eye-witness reports of surf-skiers appearing to be in difficulty. Paddlers on a downwind paddle were monitored until all surf-skiers were accounted for and safely ashore and it was confirmed that no surf-skiers had been in difficulty during the downwind paddle.On Wednesday, 04 December, NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay, investigated reports of a red distress flare sighted off-shore of Noordhoek. 2 sea rescue craft from NSRI Hout Bay, and sea rescue vehicles from NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Kommetjie found no sign of any vessel in distress and the red distress flare deployment remains a mystery.On Wednesday, 04 December, NSRI Gordon's Bay and the emergency services responded to Harbour Island to reports of a drowning in progress and on arrival on the scene it was confirmed to be a false alarm with good intentions.On Thursday, 05 December, NSRI St Lucia medics assisted the emergency services at a motor cycle accident. A patient was treated on the scene before being transported to hospital by ambulanceOn Thursday, 05 December, NSRI Simon's Town responded to St James tidal pool at the request of the SPCA to assist to free a seal entangled in discarded fish nets and on arrival on the scene found public members had already intervened and the seal was free of the net and no longer requiring NSRI or the SPCA.On Thursday, 05 December, NSRI Gordon's Bay and the emergency services responded to Gordon's Bay beachfront to reports of drowning in progress and on arrival on the scene it was confirmed to be a false alarm with good intentions.On Saturday, 07 December, NSRI Hout Bay, NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Table Bay investigated, with the assistance of TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority), Telkom Maritime Radio Services and NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), eye-witness reports of a yacht suspected to be in difficulty off-shore of the Atlantic Seaboard. Investigations concluded this to be a false alarm with good intentions and the yacht was safe and well on her way to the RCYC (Royal Cape Yacht Club) from HBYC (Hout Bay Yacht Club).On Saturday, 07 December, NSRI Melkbosstrand dispatched sea rescue craft and a sea rescue vehicle following eye-witness reports of a kite-surfer washing onto the rocks at Blouberg. It was established that a kite surfer was safe ashore after getting into difficulty and no further assistance was required.On Sunday, 08 December, NSRI St Francis Bay medical crew assisted the emergency services at a motor vehicle accident, assisting paramedics to treat a patient for injuries sustained and the patient was transported to hospital by ambulance.On Sunday, 08 December, NSRI Gordon's Bay assisted owners of a yacht which was taking water at her moorings in Gordon's Bay Harbour, assisting to pump water from the yacht.On Sunday, 08 December, NSRI Strandfontein assisted Police and the emergency services at an incident at a dam in a Cape Town Suburb where it is suspected a drowning occured.
