Hartbeespoort Dam – Boat accident:  

Arthur Crewe, NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam station commander, said:At approximately 15h00 on Saturday, 15th February, NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam duty crew were activated to reports of a boat accident on Hartbeespoort Dam near to the Ifafi Aquatic Club.Our NSRI rescue craft Rotary Endeavour and SRU (Strategic Response Unit) rescue craft responded.On arrival on the scene we found a 15 foot ski-boat may have struck a semi-submerged tree stump, most likely washed into the dam from the Crocodile River in the recent rain floods, while the boat was underway causing at least 4 of 5 people on the boat to be thrown out of the boat on impact and causing an 11 year old female to sustain a critical injury in the accident.All 5 persons, a local family and a family friend, a mother, father, daughter and son (the son aged approximately 5) and a male friend of the family (the friend aged approximately 11) were on the casualty boat when we arrived on the scene.We transferred the father, mother, their son and the family friend onto the SRU rescue craft and took them ashore, they were not injured.NSRI medics initiated medical treatment to the girl and HEMS (Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Services) were activated and a Netcare 911 Aeromedical helicopter was dispatched.With medical treatment continuing on the NSRI rescue craft the child was brought to shore and HEMS Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedics took the child into their care continuing with ALS medical treatment, assisted by our NSRI medics, and the patient was airlifted to hospital in Johannesburg by the Netcare 911 Aeromedical helicopter in a critical condition in the care of Netcare 911 ALS paramedics.On Sunday it has been confirmed that the child is in a stable condition in hospital.NSRI and all emergency services involved have the family in our thoughts at this time and we wish the child strength in her recovery.NSRI commend the swift response of our NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam rescue crew, SRU (Strategic Response Unit), HEMS Emergency Medical Services and the Netcare 911 Aeromedical helicopter to this call.