National incidents and Safety Alert

Safety alert. Paddlers potentially at risk investigated - Camps Bay. Boating accidents - Port Alfred, Mossel Bay and Port Edward:

SAFETY ALERT:

NSRI are appealing to boaters, paddlers and sail boarders to download and use the free NSRI RSA SafeTrx smartphone app available from our web page www.nsri.org.za.

When you log on and enter your intended journey plan NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) duty controllers can watch over your progress on a computer screen while you are underway.

When you face an emergency by pressing a button on the app tells NSRI and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) that you have an emergency situation and gives us your exact position.

Rescue resources are dispatched directly to that position.

When you are overdue from your intended and pre programmed estimated arrival time an alert is sent to NSRI EOC and MRCC and we can immediately investigate the reasons for the delay.

CAMPS BAY:

Luke van Riet, NSRI Bakoven station commander, said:

At 14h59, Sunday, 26 December, NSRI Bakoven duty crew were alerted by the Camps Bay lifeguards to concerns from a local lady who had lost sight of family members on 2 SUP's (stand Up Paddle Boards) and a double sea-kayak, paddling from Camps Bay to Clifton, when dense fog rolled in and the lady had lost sight of them in the fog.

She had been tracking them along the coastline when they disappeared into fog.

We launched the sea rescue craft Gemini Legend and we located the 4 paddlers off-shore of Clifton.

They were surprised to see us and we explained the justified concerns of their family member.

While they were not in any difficulties and were able to paddle to Clifton without assistance we commend the family member who raised the alarm sooner rather than too late.

Their family member collected them at Clifton.

PORT ALFRED:

Juan Pretorius, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:

At 07h29, 22 December, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew dispatched Lotto Rescuer and Rescue 11 Alpha to reports of a boat capsized 4 kilometers West of the Kowie River Mouth.

On arrival on the scene we found a 49 year old Cape Town man, Adam Neill, had donned a wet-suit and he had swum through the surf and was able to rescue a 50 year old male and a 58 year old female, both from Pretoria, to the beach.

NSRI medics were deployed to swim ashore where medical treatment was initiated.

Gardmed ambulance services attended on the scene and the female was transported to hospital by Gardmed ambulance in a stable condition.

NSRI attempted to right the boat but after efforts were not successful the casualty boat was towed by the NSRI craft into the Kowie River where the boat was recovered.

NSRI commend Adam Neill for successfully rescuing the 2 casualties.

At 06h42, Tuesday 21 December, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated to a boat swamped by a wave 1 nautical off-shore of the Kowie River Mouth with 4 crew onboard, 2 females and 2 males, while exiting the mouth to go to sea.

The sea rescue craft Lotto Challenger and Rescue 11 Alpha responded and Gardmed ambulance services were activated.

On arrival on the scene the 50 year old male skipper, from Port Alfred, and a 55 year old male and a 40 year old female, from Germany, were treated for serious injuries. A 24 year old female, from Port Alfred was treated for minor injuries.

They were transferred onto our sea rescue craft and brought to our sea rescue base and taken into the care of Gardmed paramedics.

The 3 patients with serious injuries were transported to hospital by Gardmed ambulance in stable but serious conditions.

The Port Alfred female did not require hospitalisation.

NSRI brought their 6.7 meter craft in through the mouth under her own power.

MOSSEL BAY:

Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said:

At 10h12, Friday 24 December, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew responded to Hartenbos Beach following reports of a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat capsized at the back breaker line with 2 crew onboard, a father and son from Mpumalanga

Lifeguards launched into the water to assist and the sea rescue craft St Blaize Rescuer and Rescue 15 Bravo responded.

On arrival on the scene public members on the beach were assisting to get the craft righted in shallow surf after the boat washed ashore.

Lifeguards had swum the son towards rocks where they safely exited the water.

The father was taken onboard the private boat Sea Predator that had come to assist.

Some lifeguards were still in the water and NSRI assisted to bring those lifeguards to shore.

Sea Predator brought the father to Mossel Bay harbour safely.

The 2 casualties suffered only minor injuries.

NSRI commend the swift response of the lifeguards, the crew of Sea Predator and the public members on the beach, for their assistance.

The casualty boat was recovered.

PORT EDWARD:

Gert du Plessis, NSRI Port Edward station commander, said:

At 06h20, Saturday, 18 December, NSRI Port Edward duty crew responded to Silverbeach where a craft had capsized in the surfline with 3 Pretoria men onboard, aged 53, 32 and 21.

On arrival on the scene we found them safely ashore and one man was treated by NSRI for an arm injury and he volunteered to see a doctor in his own time for further care.

NSRI assisted them, along with public members, to right and recover their craft from shallow surf.