NSRI EOC, Emergency Operations Centre, and Community Medics were alerted to reports of a surfer injured at Sandy Bay, Cape Town. Also, NSRI Bakoven, NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Hout Bay were alerted to eye-witness reports of a suspected drowning in progress at Clifton 4th Beach. Additionally, NSRI Kleinmond duty crew and NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were alerted following concerns from the wife of a man on a kayak. Lastly, an alert member of the public called the NSRI Station 9 Gordons Bay duty phone reporting a person appearing to be battling to get back onto his Jetski after falling off about 150 meters off-shore of the Gordons Bay harbour wall.
SANDY BAY:
Spencer Oldham, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said:
The surfer was reported to be out of the water and injured on the beach.
Community Medics, Hout Bay CCP (Community Crime Prevention) medics, WC Government Health EMS, WSAR (Wilderness Search and Rescue) and NSRI Hout Bay were dispatched.
Metro EMS control activated the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter while NSRI Hout Bay, conducting routine exercises at the time, dispatched the sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer, Albie Matthews and Rescue 8 Bravo (jetrib).
On NSRI Hout Bay rescue craft arriving on the scene, on the sea side, the NSRI jetrib, Rescue 8 Bravo, was used to ferry an NSRI paramedic to the shore.
Paramedics treated a 20 year old local male surfer suffering serious injuries believed to have been caused after he was separated from his surf board while surfing, the surfboard dug into the sea sand, with the tail end of the surfboard protruding out of the water, and in a wave he reportedly landed with his chest on the tail end of the surfbboard.
The man was airlifted to hospital in a serious but stable condition by the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter and he is recovering following hospital treatment.
CLIFTON:
NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) alerted the CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network.
NSRI Table and NSRI Hout Bay dispatched sea rescue craft. NSRI Bakoven dispatched NSRI rescue swimmers. CoCT Law Enforcement officers responded.
WC Government Health EMS and additional CoCT water rescue network resources were placed on alert.
On arrival on the scene CoCT Law Enforcement officers confirmed that 2 people who were swimming beyond the backline may have given eye-witnesses the impression of being in distress but they were swimming and they required no assistance.
They came ashore where the CoCT Law Enforcement officers confirmed that t5hey were not in any danger.
All responding services were stood down to this false alarm WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.
NSRI commend the eye-witnesses for raising the alarm.
KLEINMOND:
Michael Markinova, NSRI Kleinmond training officer, said:
While paddling at Pringle Bay he had capsized and he appeared unable to get back onto his kayak. He stayed with the floating kayak and his wife raised the alarm.
NSRI Kleinmond duty crew responded to our NSRI rescue base and they were towing a sea rescue jet-rib to the scene while NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene.
On arrival on the scene 2 female swimmers could be seen helping the man towards the shore.
They reached the shore safely and NSRI rescue swimmers met them on the beach.
No injuries were sustained and after some rewarming no further assistance was required.
One of the ladies, age 32, was reportedly supposed to take part in an Iron Man competition in KZN that we believe was postponed and she took a swim at Pringle Bay, with a female friend, age 35, in a training swim and the man on the kayak, age 40, was their support boat.
After he capsized they decided to all swim back to the beach towing the kayak along with them when they were met by the NSRI responding crew on the beach.
Although they were in no immediate danger NSRI commend that the alarm was raised.
NSRI appeal to all paddlers, sail boarders and boaters to download and use the free NSRI RSA SafeTrx cellphone application. Visit www.nsri.org.za for more information on NSRI RSA SafeTrx.
GORDONS BAY:
Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:
Additional eye-witness reports were received.
NSRI shore crew and rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and the sea rescue craft Rescue 9 Charlie was launched,
a 38 year old Strand male, tired and cold, was rescued onto our jet-ski, Rescue 9 Charlie, and he was brought to the NSRI base in Gordon's Bay Old harbour for a medical checkup by our NSRI medical partners GBMed ambulance services paramedics.
After he was given the all clear he required no further medical care.
Rescue 9 Charlie was re-launched and we recovered his jet-ski which was brought into the harbour and we assisted the casualty and his friend to get the casualty jet-ski onto her trailer.
NSRI commend the initial caller who raised the alarm and we commend all of the eye-witnesses who contacted NSRI.
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