Fishermen assisted - WEST COAST & French couple assisted - PLETTENBERG BAY

NSRI Mykonos duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from 3 fishermen reporting to have engine failure on their fishing boat 5 nautical miles off-shore of Shelly Point lighthouse AND NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress at Lookout Beach, Plettenberg Bay.

ST HELENA BAY:

Nic Stevens, NSRI Mykonos deputy station commander, said:

Our sea rescue craft, Spirit of East London II, was towed to St Helena Bay harbour and launched.

While heading towards the casualty we came across a fishing boat with 2 local adult fishermen onboard, 1 nautical mile off-shore and 3 nautical miles from St Helena Bay harbour. They also had experienced engine failure.

We established a towline and towed them to St Helena Bat harbour without incident.

We then returned to sea to head towards the original three fishermen who had initially called us for assistance.

While heading towards them they confirmed that they had managed to get their engines started and they were heading towards St Helena Bay harbour.

Our NSRI crew waited until they were safely in the harbour and no further assistance was required.

NSRI Mykonos duty crew returned to base.

PLETTENBERG BAY:

Jaco Kruger, NSRI Plettenberg Bay Station commander, said:

2 NSRI rescue craft were launched while our NSRI rescue vehicle and NSRI rescue swimmers responded by road.

On arrival on the scene both casualties were safely on the beach and out of danger.

It appears that while swimming they were caught in rip currents. The female was able to reach a sand bank while the man was swept further out to sea and he was waving his arms to raise the alarm.

An eye-witness alerted NSRI.

While responding to the scene both were able to get to shore safely.

Both were assessed by our NSRI medics and then as a precaution they transported by NSRI to the Plettenberg Bay Mediclinic for observation for non-fatal drowning symptoms.

Following observation and some TLC treatment they were released requiring no further assistance.

The adult couple are French citizens on a holiday from France.

They were extremely grateful that one of our NSRI crewmen speaks fluent French and he was able to converse with them in their home language on the beach.