Paddlers assisted - Yzerfontein. Yacht assisted - Hout Bay:

NSRI Yzerfontein duty controllers received a call from a concerned member of the public reporting what appeared to be two kayaks, approximately 500 meters offshore of Yzerfontein Main Beach and 1.5 kilometers North of Yzerfontein harbour, appearing to not be making any progress and NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from an Australian solo yachtsman reporting to be 6 nautical miles West of Hout Bay ands unable to make any progress in no wind conditions and with his sailing yacht suffering mechanical engine problems.

YZERFONTEIN:

Junre Marais, NSRI Yzerfontein duty commander, said:

On Monday 18 April, at 13h35, NSRI Yzerfontein duty controllers received a call from a concerned member of the public reporting what appeared to be two kayaks, approximately 500 meters offshore of Yzerfontein Main Beach and 1.5 kilometers North of Yzerfontein harbour, appearing to not be making any progress.

We investigated the concern from the member of public and after observing the paddlers for a few minutes and with the paddlers continuing to be appearing to be making no progress our duty crew were activated.

Our sea rescue craft Sonja was launched.

On arrival on the scene we found two local females, age 16 and 21, as well as a 16 year old male, from Milnerton, on 2 SUP's (stand up paddle boards).

At first they indicated that they were fine and that they did not need any assistance reporting to our rescue crew that they were heading back towards Yzerfontein harbour where they had launched from earlier.

We remained on scene as it was obvious to our NSRI crew that they were not making any progress.

We accompanied them for 10 minutes during which time they had drifted further out to sea and further from the harbour in the approximately 12 knot South Easterly winds.

At that stage we took all three of the casualties and their two SUP`s onboard our sea rescue craft and we brought them safely into Yzerfontein harbour without incident.

It was then that they realised just how far out to sea they had been pushed by the wind and they acknowledge that they probably would not have been able to get back by themselves.

Once safely back on the shore no further assistance was needed.

NSRI appeal to all paddlers to download and always use the free NSRI RSA SafeTrx smart phone app when launching to go to sea.

NSRI commend the eye-witness for their vigilance.

HOUT BAY:

Franco Viotti, NSRI Hout Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 10h26, Tuesday, 19 April, NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from an Australian solo yachtsman reporting to be 6 nautical miles West of Hout Bay ands unable to make any progress in no wind conditions and with his sailing yacht suffering mechanical engine problems.

The sea rescue craft Albie Matthews was launched and we rendezvoused with the 42 foot sailing yacht.

2 NSRI rescue crew were transferred aboard the yacht and a towline was established.

We towed the yacht to just outside of Hout Bay harbour and then rafted alongside the yacht and brought her safely to a mooring at HBYC (Hout Bay Yacht Club) and no further assistance was required.