KAAIMANS RIVER MOUTH:Garth Dominy, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:At 13h18, Saturday, 2 January, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at the Kaaimans River Mouth, Wilderness.Eye-witnesses reported one man in difficulty in the surf and a second man, a bystander, had launched into the water to attempt to assist.The sea rescue craft JetRIB Rescue 23 Alpha was towed to the scene and launched and NSRI Wilderness rescue swimmers, Eden Municipal lifeguards and Eden 911 ambulance services responded directly to the scene.The bystander was able to get out of the water safely and he was not injured and an extensive sea and shoreline search was conducted but there remains no sign of the missing man who is believed to be a local male aged in his 30's.The SA Police Services and a Police Dive Unit were activated and Police divers are tasked to continue in an ongoing search operation and they will be assisted on Sunday by NSRI Wilderness.
HERMANUS:Andre Barnard, NSRI Hermanus station commander, said:At 16h34, Saturday, 2 January, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress in the sea near to Ficks Pool, Hermanus.A man was witnessed jumping into the water before getting into difficulty.The sea rescue craft Maritimus was launched and NSRI rescue swimmers, SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS, Hermanus Protection Services and CMC ambulance services responded.A local man, who is a Hermanus Neighbourhood Watch member and a former NSRI Hermanus volunteer, entered the water to assist the casualty and he was assisted by lifeguards, who had responded to assist, and they had managed to get the casualty out of the water onto rocks but the unidentified man was unresponsive.NSRI rescue swimmers used a Crock (small floating rubber-duck) to get the man from the rocks to the sea rescue craft which was just off-shore in the surfline and he was brought to the Hermanus Harbour where sadly paramedics declared the man deceased.The body of the man has been taken into the care of the WC Government Health Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.NSRI commend the Neighbourhood Watch member for his assistance on the scene.
