NSRI SAFETY ALERT:NSRI are appealing to the public to be safe leading up to and into the New Year.This safety alert comes after multiple incidents were attended to by NSRI stations around the coast and on inland waters on Boxing Day.Fishermen, coastline rock anglers and hikers, are urged to take heed of the increasing Spring tides as we move closer to this months full moon Spring tide that peaks on 30 December and we appeal for caution around the coastline.We are appealing to bathers to only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards and swim in between the lifeguards safe swimming zone flags posted by the lifeguards on the beach.Lifeguards regularly move their flags when rip currents form and we are appealing to the public to obey the lifeguards instructions to only swim in between their flags.Families visiting the beach should approach the lifeguards if they are separated from family members or if they need assistance.Boaters, paddlers and sail boarders are urged to wear properly fitting and fastened life-jackets while your craft is underway.We are appealing to boaters to make sure that their craft are in working order and their motors are serviced before launching.Boaters, paddlers and sailors are urged to download and use the NSRI RSA SafeTrx cellphone app and have safety equipment and and emergency plan in place.We are appealing to parents to make sure that there is a designated responsible person watching over children in and around water, at coastal and inland waters and at swimming pools.NSRI has developed a safety monitor ID tag to be worn by the responsible person overseeing children when they are swimming.For information on the Safety Monitor ID tag and NSRI water safety tips go to our web page at www.nsri.org.za.
BETTY’S BAY:Schalk Boonzaaier, NSRI Kleinmond station commander, said:At 07h53, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated following multiple eye-witness reports of a boat capsized 300 meters off-shore of Betty’s Bay.The sea rescue craft Jaytee III and our jet-rib, Rescue 42 Alpha, were launched and our sea rescue vehicle and the SA Police Services responded.When our sea rescue vehicle arrived on the scene a local RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat), skippered by local fisherman Casper Strydom, had rescued all 4 male casualties who had been hanging onto the upturned hull of their 6 meter capsized boat for about 20 minutes after she capsized.The 4 male casualties were brought into the Kleinmond harbour where our NSRI doctor was standing-by to medically check on the 4 men and they were not injured and they refused further assistance.The casualty boat sunk despite efforts to try to recover the boat.NSRI commend skipper Casper Strydom and his crew of the local RHIB for their assistance.
MOSSEL BAY: Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said:At 08h26, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a boat capsized East of Mossel Bay Point approximately 2 nautical miles off-shore.The sea rescue craft St Blaize Rescuer was launched and on arrival on the scene 5 men, a skipper and one man from Mossel Bay, and 3 men from the Free State, were assisted by crew on local boats and then taken onboard our sea rescue craft and they were brought to our sea rescue base where WC Government Health EMS paramedics and By Grace ambulance services paramedics medically checked on them and they were not injured and they required no further assistance.Our sea rescue craft returned to the capsized boat which was righted at sea and towed to Mossel Bay harbour where it was recovered and no further assistance was required.It appears that their boat was taking water before it capsized.
ST FRANCIS BAY:Sarah Jane Smith, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, said:12h14, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were activated to a drowning in progress in front of George Road, St Francis Bay.The sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II and NSRI rescue swimmers responded.On arrival on the scene we found 3 bystanders, one is believed to be a lifeguard, had gone into the surf and assisted the 2 people, who were being swept out to sea in rip currents, back to shore and the 2 casualties were not injured and they required no further assistance.NSRI commend the 3 bystanders who assisted.Then at 14h28 NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew dispatched our sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II and rescue swimmers to the Krom River Mouth where a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) capsized.On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the surf, in big sea conditions, and local jet-skiers, who were in the area at the time also assisted.3 men from the capsized boat were assisted to the shore by local jet-skiers and they were not injured.The local jet-skiers then assisted the 2 NSRI rescue swimmers to the shore.The owners of the RHIB recovered their boat from the surfline.Then a young man got into difficulty after he was swept out to sea by rip currents between The Spit and George Road.A local jet-skier transported an NSRI rescue swimmer to the scene where they found the casualty had already been assisted by another jet-skier who assisted the young man to the shore and he was not injured.Then NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were alerted to 4 children being swept out to sea by rip currents at a Private Beach near to the Port of St Francis.They all got to shore safely and they were not injured.NSRI commend the assistance rendered by the local jet-skiers.
SHELLY BEACH:Jeremiah Jackson, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said:Our NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew were activated at 12h30, Saturday, 26 December, following reports from Shelly Control of a local charter vessel running on only one motor and requiring assistance to get back to the beach in big sea swells.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Dawn was launched and on arrival on the scene the crew of the casualty vessel, who had been taken off the casualty vessel and put onto fellow commercial boats, were transferred onto our sea rescue craft and they were brought safely to shore.The casualty commercial charter boat was able to get to the beach on her remaining one motor and no further assistance was required.NSRI commend the close cooperation between the local commercial charter boats and Shelly Control.
KENTON-ON-SEA:Chris Pike, NSRI Port Alfred deputy station commander, said:At 15h20, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew towed our sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha to the Bushman’s River following a request for assistance from 3 local men, aged in their 60’s, reporting their 18 foot ski-boat taking water 14 kilometers upstream on the Bushman’s River.On arrival on the scene we found the 3 men were safe on the shore and they were draining their boat of water.Our NSRI crew assisted the men to drain water out of their boat and we took their boat under tow.A boat that was passing by at the time offered to take the 3 men onboard their boat and they transported the 3 back to their launch site at Kenton Marina while NSRI towed their casualty boat to the Kenton Marina.Once safely at the Kenton Marina their boat was recovered and they required no further assistance.
GORDONS BAY:Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:At 18h54, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated and we launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski after a local yacht crew requested assistance to get into the harbour.The local yacht had been out sailing and on returning, while preparing to get back into the harbour, the yacht experienced engine failure and the skipper requested assistance half a nautical mile off Bikini Beach.On arrival on the scene we rafted our sea rescue craft alongside the yacht and brought her safely to her mooring and once safely moored they required no further assistance.
STRUISBAAI:Reinard Geldenhuys, NSRI Agulhas station commander, said:At 04h20, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Agulhas duty crew were alerted to a boat capsized off-shore of Struisbaai.On investigation, which included one of our NSRI Agulhas coxswains who was in the area on his private boat, it was confirmed that local boats had assisted the crew of a capsized boat and they were not injured and no further assistance was required.Then at 05h44 our NSRI Agulhas duty crew were activated to assist a local fishing boat with engine failure about 3 nautical miles off-shore of Struisbaai.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas was launched and we towed the casualty boat into the harbour without incident and the crew of the casualty boat required no further assistance.At 08h37 our NSRI Agulhas duty crew were activated to assist a local fishing Chukkie boat with engine failure about 4 nautical miles off-shore of Struisbaai.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas was launched and we towed the casualty boat into the harbour without incident and the crew of the casualty boat required no further assistance.
VAAL DAM:Jake Manten, NSRI Vaal Dam station commander, said:At 16h00, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Vaal dam duty crew were activated following reports of a jet-ski accident in Oranjeville.The NSRI rescue craft Havey’s Fibreglass was launched and on arrival on the scene we found Netcare 911 ambulance services in attendance where Netcare 911 paramedics were treating 2 patients.A man and his daughter were treated for injuries sustained after their jet-ski hit a wave.NSRI medics assisted the Netcare 911 paramedics on the scene and the father was airlifted to hospital by a Netcare 911 air ambulance helicopter and his daughter was transported to hospital by a Netcare 911 ambulance in a stable condition.They are expected to make full recoveries.
KOMMETJIE:Ian Klopper, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said:At 17h22, Saturday, 26 December, NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were alerted to a pencil rubber-duck capsized in the surf at The Dunes on Long Beach, Kommetjie.A local 47 year old man and 2 teenage males, both aged 19, were reported to be safely ashore after their boat capsized in the surfline.Our NSRI Quad Bike responded to the scene where it was confirmed that the casualties were safely ashore and not injured.We dispatched our sea rescue vehicle to the Kommetjie slipway to fetch their boat trailer from their vehicle and brought the trailer to the beach where we recovered the casualty boat onto her trailer from shallow surf and brought the casualty boat, with the 3 casualties, to their vehicle at the Kommetjie slipway and no further assistance was required.
CAPE TOWN:NSRI were made aware, by CoCT (City of Cape Town) Law Enforcement, of 2 incidents at Cape Town beaches where lifeguards intervened to assist bathers.On Friday, 25 December, at 12h40, CoCT lifeguards and CoCT Law Enforcement officers attended to a man who slipped and fell into the water at Camps Bay Tidal Pool.The man did not require further medical assistance after being rescued from the water by lifeguards.On Saturday afternoon, 26 December, lifeguards rescued a man from the surf at Blue Waters Beach and he was not injured.
