Cape Town: Sail boarders and paddlers reported to be in difficulty

NATIONAL SEA RESCUE INSTITUTE (NSRI) MEDIA RELEASE:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEA RESCUE – NSRI – STATION 3, Table Bay. STATION 18, Melkbosstrand

TABLE BAY:

Multiple calls received for kite surfers, Stand-up paddle boarders and hydrofoil sailers, appearing to be in difficulty.

Marc de Vos, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said:

At 12h20, Thursday, 1 October, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a man on SUP (Stand-up Paddle Board) appearing to be in difficulty off-shore of Milnerton Beach.

The sea rescue craft Spirit of Day was launched and our NSRI sea rescue vehicle responded to Milnerton while NSRI Melkbosstrand surf rescue swimmers and CoCT Big Bay Surf Lifesaving lifeguards responded along the shoreline to keep a lookout and assist in investigations.

On arrival on the scene NSRI received multiple further phone calls from concerned eye-witnesses confirming that at least 4 persons, believed to be on SUP's, hydrofoil sailboard and kite boards, appeared to be in difficulty between Milnerton and Bloubergstrand.

Southerly and South Easterly wind speeds, in that area of Table Bay, increased to up to 50 knots, gusting up to 60 knots.

During the search reports received from an eye-witness confirmed that 2 of the men were safely ashore approximately 4 kilometers up the coast from where they had intended to come ashore and they were safe and they returned walking along the beach.

The search efforts, hampered by sea spray, rough seas and strong winds, continued for the remaining casualties who were believed to be males who were still outstanding and not accounted for.

Our sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom was launched and NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew towed the sea rescue craft Spirit of Brenda to the area prepared to be launch to join in the search.

During an ongoing search it was then confirmed that the remaining 2 males were safely ashore, they are believed to have swum ashore, and they were not injured.

NSRI located and recovered one kite board and kite sail at sea adrift off-shore of Bloubergstrand which was brought to our NSRI Table Bay sea rescue station and the owner arrived at our sea rescue station to collect the kite sail equipment and no further assistance was required.

The operation completed at 17h48.

-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.

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You can do your bit to assist. Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.

SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY: 112 or 087 094 9774

Released by:

Craig Lambinon

SEA RESCUE COMMUNICATIONS

Email: communications@searescue.org.za | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | www.searescue.org.za