National – Incidents around the coast and an NSRI Safety Alert

NSRI Hermanus, Yzerfontein, Port Alfred and Still Bay called out this weekend to respond to incidents.

HERMANUS:

Danielle Fourie, NSRI Hermanus deputy station commander, said:

At 20h36, Friday, 3 September, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following calls from public members, at Fisherhaven, reporting that they could hear cries for help appearing to be coming from the direction of the Bot River Lagoon.

An NSRI crewman who was near to the area at the time responded to investigate while our duty crew dispatched our sea rescue vehicle towing the sea rescue craft Maritimus to the scene.

On arrival on the scene our NSRI crew member confirmed that cries for help were coming from the direction on the water of the lagoon.

We launched our sea rescue craft at the Fisherhaven public slipway and following a brief search we found a 41 year old male, from Cape Town, in the water with a life-ring.

It appears that he had been fishing and although he was in waist deep water with the floatation life-ring, quite far onto the lagoon, he may have become disorientated and he may have been unwilling to attempt to try to reach the shore through the deeper waters so instead he shouted for help and stayed where he was.

We took him onboard our sea rescue craft and treatment for hypothermia was initiated.

WC Government Health EMS were activated.

On getting the man safely to the shore our NSRI medics continued with rewarming procedures.

EMS paramedics arrived on the scene and they assisted.

After the man was re-warmed he was released requiring no further assistance.

NSRI commend the public members for their vigilance and for swiftly raising the alarm.

At 10h45, Saturday, 4 September, NSRI Hermanus duty crew launched our sea rescue craft South Star and we rendezvoused with a local fishing vessel 8 nautical miles South of Hermanus to patient evacuate an ill fisherman from the fishing vessel.

The 48 year old fisherman was taken onboard our sea rescue craft and in a stable condition we brought him to Hermanus Harbour where private transport had been arranged to take the man to see his doctor and no further assistance was required.

YZERFONTEIN:

Junre Marais, NSRI Yzerfontein duty commander, said:

On Saturday, 4 September, at 10h40, NSRI Yzerfontein duty crew were activated after receiving multiple eye-witness reports of a pencil duck boat capsized approximately 300 meters off shore of Yzerfontein Main Beach.

I was in the area at the time and I diverted to respond to investigate while our duty crew responded to our sea rescue base.

On my arrival on the scene I spotted the small craft and 2 crew members hanging onto their upturned vessel in the surfline.

While our duty crew were launching our sea rescue craft a wave righted the casualty craft and it surfed ashore in the next wave and the 2 men, aged in their 20's, from Saldanha Bay, also reached the shore safely.

Our NSRI sea rescue vehicle responded to the scene and the 2 men were assessed for injuries and they required no medical assistance.

Our NSRI Quad Bike, with the casualty vessel’s trailer, responded to the beach and their boat was recovered and towed to the parking area where no further assistance was required.

The operation completed at 11h04.

PORT ALFRED:

Keryn van der Walt, NSRI Port Alfred duty coxswain, said:

At 11h59, Sunday, 5 September, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at East Beach.

Our sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha was launched and our NSRI sea rescue vehicle responded.

On arrival on the scene we found 3 young adult females had been assisted out of the water by 2 local surfers after the 3 young ladies had been caught in rip currents while swimming.

They were not injured and we commend the 2 surfers for their swift action.

STILL BAY:

Jean du Plessis, NSRI Still Bay station commander, said:

At 12h45, Sunday, 5 September, NSRI Still Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a suspected swimmer in difficulty at Sandstrand, Jongensfontein.

NSRI rescue swimmers were dispatched in our sea rescue vehicle and while responding to the scene we were informed that the swimmer had reached the shore safely.

Our crew continued to respond and on arrival on the scene it was confirmed that a man had been caught in rip currents but he had managed to get to shore and he was not injured.

NSRI SAFETY ALERT:

With Spring approaching NSRI are appealing to the public to be cautious in and around water.

Weather conditions are improving as we head towards warmer weather but Winter sea conditions, with rough seas, strong winds and often stormy sea conditions prevail despite the improving weather.

NSRI are appealing to bathers, shoreline anglers and coastal hikers to cautious around our coastline.

Children should always have responsible adult supervision in and around water.