National rescue roundup: East London, Cape Town, St Lucia

Our teams responded to various calls, including one involving a dolphin in distress.

EAST LONDON: Andrew Keil, NSRI East London coxswain, said: At 11h00, Wednesday, 13 January, NSRI East London duty crew were alerted to a runaway boat on the Nahoon River and 2 male teenagers reported to have fallen out of the boat. The boat was underway, unmanned, and turning in circles 2 kilometers upriver of the Nahoon River Mouth. NSRI members, nearby to the scene at the time, including an NSRI member who is also an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic, and an EMS rescue squad responded. On arrival on the scene we found that 2 public members had launched a river boat and were able to rescue the teenagers from the water. 1 Tteenager sustained lacerations from the motor propeller and 1 teenager was not injured. The injured teenager had been transported to hospital by family members. 2 NSRI members launched a public members river boat onto the water and using a rope they lassoed the 15 horse power outboard motor and brought the casualty boat to a halt and it was brought safely to shore.

MAORI BAY, ATLANTIC SEABOARD: David Rosenberg, NSRI Bakoven deputy station commander, said: At 11h53, Wednesday, 13 January, NSRI Bakoven duty crew were alerted to reports of a red distress flare appearing to have been deployed from a yacht off-shore of Maori Bay on the Atlantic Seaboard. 2 Local hikers who were hiking along the Karbonkelberg hiking trail reported that they spotted a red distress flare appearing to have been deployed from a yacht just off-shore before seeing the yacht move further out to sea. We commend the 2 local hikers for raising the alarm. The NSRI Bakoven sea rescue craft Rotarian Schipper was launched and NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated and they launched the sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer. On arrival on the scene, 1 nautical mile off-shore, we found that the yacht, with a French couple onboard, sailing from Knysna to Cape Town, had dismasted from unknown causes.

They had been unable to raise the alarm after their communications antennas were submerged when the mast fell into the water and they deployed a red distress flare that was seen by the 2 hikers. 3 NSRI rescue swimmers were transferred onto the yacht and the mast was recovered and secured alongside the hull. A towline was established to the sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer and the yacht was towed to Hout Bay harbour, escorted by the sea rescue craft Rotarian Schipper. On arrival in Hout Bay harbour the sea rescue craft Rotarian Schipper was used to assist to get the yacht to a safe mooring and no further assistance was required.

ST LUCIA: Jan Hoffman, NSRI St Lucia station commander, said: At approximately 09h45, Wednesday, 13 January, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Marine Conservation were informed by eye-witnesses of a dolphin stranded on the shoreline and alive 3 kilometers North of Cape Vidal main beach. Rangers were dispatched to investigate and on arriving on scene James Wood, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Marine Conservation manager, assisted by 2 public members, attempted to get the Striped dolphin back into the water but the Dolphin continued to wash ashore. The dolphin was weak and appeared to be injured. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Marine Conservation manager James Wood, a member of NSRI St Lucia, activated additional NSRI crew members to assist on the scene.

NSRI St Lucia crew arrived on scene and assisted to move the dolphin to deeper water and assisted the dolphin to stay afloat with the hopes it would regain its strength and swim free but all efforts were to no avail. Sadly on further investigation by authorities and after all attempts to save the dolphin were exhausted Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Marine Conservation, assisted by a Marine Biologist and a Vet, made the difficult decision to humanely euthanise the dolphin which will be sent for scientific study. NSRI commend everyone that was on the scene for the extensive efforts to save the dolphin.