At 11h06, Saturday, 4 June, while on routine training exercises, our NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew diverted the sea rescue craft Spirit of Dawn to respond to the Mzimkhulu River Mouth, Port Shepstone, following eye-witness reports of a kayak capsized in the river.
Gary Wolmarans, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said:
The kayaker, a male, was separated from the kayak and he was being swept out to sea through the river mouth.
Our NSRI rescue vehicle, the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue and Med-Evac ambulance services were activated.
On arrival on the scene a sea and shoreline search commenced for the man, aged 70, who is well known to NSRI. The man and his wife are long serving NSRI supporters.
The kayak was located washed up on the shoreline.
During a sea search the body of the man was located in the surfline and recovered onto our sea rescue craft. Sadly he was declared deceased by paramedics.
The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
Police have opened an inquest docket.
Police and NSRI have arranged counsellors for the family and Condolences, on behalf of all services involved in the operation, are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man.
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