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NSRI EMERGENCY
OPERATION CENTRE (EOC)

087 094 9774
NSRI Safety Appeal:NSRI are appealing to paddlers and sailboarders making use of recent strong winds to practice their extreme sports to have safety measures in place prior to launching.Wear appropriate brightly colored neon gear for the anticipated conditions and wear properly fitting and fastened life-jackets.Have safety equipment - red distress flares, a referee whistle hung around the neck and fully charged cellphones with the NSRI emergency numbers 112 and 0870949774 programmed into your phone.Always log onto the cellphone app NSRI/RSA SafeTrx with your intended route, departure time and estimated arrival time.In an emergency activate the emergency procedures on SafeTrx, set off red distress flares in intervals, saving your last flare for when you see NSRI rescue craft approaching nearby, and wave towards shore to attract attention.As an additional back-up we are appealing to paddlers and sail boarders to let a responsible person on the shore know of your departure time, intended route and estimated time of arrival and let the responsible person know once you are safe off the water.KOMMETJIE:Ian Klopper, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said:At 17h30, Friday, 1 January, NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were activated by a local Kommetjie father and son who had experienced engine failure on their 4.2 meter RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) whilst surfing off-shore Dunes, Noordhoek Beach.Their craft was at anchor in a strong offshore South Easterly wind and although they were in no imminent danger they required assistance.We launched our sea rescue craft Spirit of the Vines and located the casualty craft with the father and son onboard and they were in good spirits.A towline was established and they were safely towed to the Kommetjie slipway without incident and once their boat was recovered they required no further assistance.At 10h50, Saturday, 2 January, NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were activated by a local member of the public reporting a 68 year local female, from Capri, who had reportedly slipped on kelp at the boat launch site in Kommetjie and had sustained an injury.NSRI Kommetjie medics responded in our sea rescue vehicle Komix and rendered medical assistance on the scene.CMR (Cape Medical Response) were activated and on their arrival on the scene CMR paramedics took over care of the patient and transported her in a stable condition to hospital in a CMR ambulance for further medical caret.AT 14H38, Saturday, 2 January, NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were activated following an eye witness report of windsurfer in strong winds appearing to be in difficulty off-shore of the Soetwater Reserve, Kommetjie.Our sea rescue vehicle, Komix, responded to the scene and the sea rescue craft Spirit of the Vines was launched and responded to estimated location of the suspected casualty.On arrival on the scene our NSRI crew had noticed a windsurfer matching the description of the suspected casualty coming ashore at Inner Kom, near the Kommetjie Lighthouse.After brief investigation it was confirmed that the windsurfer that came ashore was the same person that the eye witness had reported suspected to be in difficulty.The windsurfer made it to shore safely without any assistance and our sea rescue craft and sea rescue vehicle returned to base.We commend the eye-witness for raising the alarm on their concerns.On Sunday, 3 January, sail boarders appeared to be in difficulty off-shore of Kommetjie.NSRI Kommetjie crew were dispatched to Klein Slangkop Estate to investigate.On investigation it appeared that 2 sail boarders were picked up by what appeared to be their support RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) and there were no indications that anyone was missing or overdue.SIMON'S TOWN:Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simon's Town station commander, said:At 07h29, Sunday, 3 January, NSRI Simon's Town duty crew were alerted to a French Catamaran requesting assistance to get into Simon's Town harbour after their anchor started to drag in strong winds.The sea rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III and Spirit of Surfski II were launched and on arrival on the scene towlines were established and the Catamaran was towed into Simon's Town without incident and moored safely and no further assistance was required.NSRI Simon's Town were alerted a number of times over the past 3 days to monitor paddlers between Millers Point and Fish Hoek that eye-witnesses suspected to be in difficulty.In all cases the paddlers got safely to shore without incident.On Friday, 1 January, NSRI Simon's Town launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski II following eye-witness reports of a surfskier in difficulty off-shore of Glencairn.Prior to arriving on the scene it was confirmed that the surfskier got to shore safely and no assistance was required.NSRI Simon's Ttown duty crew and NSRI Simonstown coast watchers were alerted a number of times over the past 3 days to monitor paddlers between Millers Point and Fish Hoek that eye-witnesses suspected to be in difficulty in rough seas and strong winds.In all cases the paddlers got safely to shore without incident.ST LUCIA:At 10h48, Sunday, 3 January, NSRI St Lucia duty crew responded in the sea rescue vehicle to the Umfolezi River following eye-witness reports of a man suspected to be in difficulty adrift on the river.On arrival on the scene despite an extensive search no sign was found of an unidentified man last seen drifting down the river and while it is suspected that the man may have gotten out of the river the SA Police Services and Police Search and Rescue have been alerted to investigate.BALLITO:Quentin Power, NSRI Ballito station commander, said:At 11h29, Sunday, 3 January, NSRI Ballito duty crew responded to Prince’s Grant, Zinkwazi, where a jet-ski was reported to have mechanical engine trouble.While responding NSRI were informed that local assisted the jet-skier who was safe ashore and no further assistance was required.At 12h14, NSRI Ballito duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a double sea-kayak appearing to be in difficulty.Prior to arriving on the scene NSRI were informed that a couple on a paddle-ski had come ashore safely and no assistance was required.
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