Three Anchor Bay – Saturday, 8 October. Unidentified person believed to missing in the surf at Three Anchor Bay

At 15h50, Friday, 7 October, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Three Anchor Bay slipway.

Robyn Silverstone, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said:

NSRI Bakoven duty crew were activated and launched their sea rescue craft Gemini Legend. NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Bakoven rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services, Netcare 911 ambulance, CoCT Law Enforcement officers, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter responded.

On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue swimmers entered the water to conduct free dive sweeping line search efforts, NSRI rescue craft and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter conducted sea and air search efforts.

Conditions were hampered by big sea swells during the Spring high tide.

Shoreline search efforts were conducted.

The Police Dive Unit was activated.

An eye witness reported seeing a man disappearing under water after appearing to be in difficulty in the surf. Later additional eye-witnesses came forward with the same.

Despite an extensive air, sea and shoreline search there remains no sign of the person.

No one has come forward to report any person missing that may be related to this incident.

A Police Dive Unit will continue in an ongoing search and Police are investigating.

During the search operation a youngster launched a surf-ski at Three Anchor Bay but in the big sea swells he was tumbled in wave sets that smashed his surf-ski against rocks. He was trapped in amongst wave sets. The NSRI Bakoven rescue craft reached him and rescued him from the surf. He was not injured. His surf-ski washed ashore later and was recovered.