Marc de Vos, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said. 'At 12h02, Sunday, 28 June, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of surfers appearing to be in difficulty in the vicinity between Granger Bay and Green Point lighthouse.NSRI Bakoven duty crew were at Cape Grace in the V&A Waterfront at the time having completed routine training and they re-launched the sea rescue craft Rotarian Schipper from a Cape Grace mooring to respond to the scene and our NSRI Table Bay duty crew responded to our sea rescue base at the V&A Waterfront and launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Day.Our NSRI Table Bay sea rescue vehicle responded and an NSRI Table Bay duty controller responded to the scene in her private vehicle.On arrival on the scene it was discovered that a number of surfers had been in the water surfing when one surfers surfboard may have broken and one surfer appeared to have lost his surfboard in heavy surf conditions.From eye-witness accounts, the surfer whose surfboard may have broken is believed to have swum ashore and recovered his surfboard. It was not clear from eye-witness accounts if the surfboard had actually broken.Another surfer had lost his surfboard, it is believed that his surfboard leash had broken, and he swam to the Water Club Marina and then later recovered his surfboard that washed ashore.Another surfer was found paddling towards the Water Club Marina. He was picked up with his surfboard by our sea rescue craft Spirit of Day and we dropped him off at the Water Club Marina without incident.Another surfer, who was not in any difficulty and who required no assistance, continued to surf.In a separate incident 2 floatation buoys witnessed floating in the surf at Camps Bay on Saturday, 27 June, may still be afloat off-shore of the Atlantic Seaboard.An NSRI Table Bay crew member and a concerned eye-witness had noticed the 2 floatation buoys in the surfline at Camps Bay at different times on Saturday.We suspect that these floatation buoys may have broken free or fallen overboard a fishing vessel during the recent storm and our EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) are monitoring to hear if they get spotted again'.-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
