At 08h41, Thursday, 25 June, NSRI Station 17 Hermanus duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Rotarian Burnett to join in a search operation that had been initiated on Wednesday for a fisherman who had gone missing near to the New harbour, between the New harbour and the old harbour.
On Wednesday Overberg Fire and Rescue Services, ADT security officers, Hermanus Public Protection members, Hermanus Neighbourhood Watch members and family of the missing man had searched after the man had left home in the morning to go fishing and he had failed to return.The man's bicycle had been found on the shoreline at around 13h00 but no personal belongings were located during an extensive search.The SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit and NSRI Hermanus had been alerted to the search and it remained unknown what had become of the man.On Thursday NSRI Hermanus were tasked to join all of the services that were involved in the search, including WC Government Health EMS who had also joined in the search, and the sea rescue craft was tasked to search along the shoreline from the sea side in an area where it was believed that the missing may have been collecting bait at low tide the day before.During a sea and shoreline search it was indicated, by a search party that was searching along the shoreline, that there was a body in the surf on the shoreline in the search area near to Hermanus New harbour.NSRI Hermanus dispatched an NSRI sea rescue vehicle to the scene and the body of the missing man was recovered from shallow surf below a cliff face by NSRI rescue swimmers.The body of the deceased man was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.Condolences are conveyed to family and friends.It is suspected that the man may have fallen into the water and drowned while collecting bait.Police have opened an inquest docket.
-ENDS-
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is the charity organisation that saves lives on South African waters – both coastal and inland. Our goal is to prevent drowning through rescue operations, education and prevention initiatives.Operating from base stations along the SA coastline, and on inland dams, our rescue volunteers are on call, at all hours, every day of the year. Our rescue crew receives no payment and neither do we charge the people we rescue.We visit schools around the country, teaching children about water safety. Our drowning prevention measures include our online training academy, with free courses for crew and the public, emergency signage, Pink Rescue Buoys for emergency flotation, rescue swimmers, lifeguards, and active patrols during peak seasons.Our organisation is totally reliant on donations and sponsorships. This enables us to do the work of saving lives, changing lives, and creating futures.You can do your bit to assist. Please visit
www.nsri.org.za for more information.
SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY: 112 or 087 094 9774
