Multiple Incidents Around The South African Coastline

We investigated reports of a spear fisherman overdue after a local fisherman reported his concerns after seeing the spear fisherman's vehicle still parked at Shelly Point and knowing that the man had gone spearfishing at 13h00

NSRI STN 20 SHELLY BEACH:

Gary Wolmerans, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said:

At 17h30, Tuesday, 5 December, we investigated reports of a spear fisherman overdue after a local fisherman reported his concerns after seeing the spear fisherman's vehicle still parked at Shelly Point and knowing that the man had gone spearfishing at 13h00. It appeared that he was overdue at Shelly Point.

NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Dawn while our NSRI crew searched the shoreline.

During a search the spear fisherman, a local man, was found exiting the water and he was in no danger having continued fishing longer than he had expected.

He was advised to always let Shelly Beach Control know of his movements, use NSRI SafeTrx, and let a responsible friend or family member know of his intended launch time and return time, in order to ensure his safety.

On Friday, 8 December, at 10h00, NSRI Shelly Beach assisted a local fishing vessel with motor mechanical failure off-shore of Shelly Beach.

NSRI launched the NSRI JetRib rescue craft and transferred 9 crew, in relays, safely to shore, while repairs to the casualty vessels outboard motors managed to get one motor running.

The casualty vessel was escorted safely to a beach recovery without incident.

On Friday, 1 December, at 21h00, NSRI Shelly Beach were alerted by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) of a suspected drowning accident of a 17 year old local male at Margate Beach.

The drowning accident reportedly happened earlier at 18h00.

The SA Police Services and Police Search and Rescue were alerted.

A search by Police, assisted by NSRI Shelly Beach, continued over the weekend.

On Monday, 4 December, Police and NSRI Shelly Beach were alerted to a body discovered in the surf line at Margate Beach by eyewitnesses.

The NSRI rescue craft Freemasons Way and Rescue 20 Bravo were launched accompanied by Police Search and Rescue divers.

A body fitting the identity of the missing teenager was recovered by Police divers and brought to shore where the body was taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

An Inquest docket, opened by Police, will investigate the cause of the delay in authorities being notified of the incident when it happened.

Condolences are conveyed to family of the deceased teenager.

It appears that the incident happened when school leavers celebrating their final school year had been swimming at Margate Beach when 2 teenagers got into difficulty - we believe in rip currents - one managed to get to shore but the one teenager had gone missing.

WILDERNESS:

NSRI STN 23 WILDERNESS:

Mike Vonk, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:

Police are investigating and following up on leads related to a red distress flare that appears to have been activated from the shoreline, West of Kleinkrantz, on Thursday, 7 December.

NSRI Wilderness and the emergency services, with the cooperation of the George ski-boat club were alerted at 20h26 after eyewitnesses reported seeing the 1000 foot parachute red distress flare high over the surf line East of the NSRI Wilderness rescue station.

An extensive search and investigations were conducted until 21h15 when it was determined, from additional eyewitness reports, that the flare had appeared to be discharged from the shoreline.

NSRI and George Municipal authorities monitored over the weekend but it appears that the flare may have been discharged without emergency intent.

We are appealing to the public to refrain from setting off red distress flares unless in a life-threatening emergency.

The illegal discharge of red distress flares is an offence that carries legal consequences.

NSRI commend the assistance of George ski-boat club members and George Municipal authorities, who together with NSRI Wilderness and the emergency services, went out of their way to assist to determine if any sailors, boaters or paddlers were overdue or missing.

On Sunday, 10 December, at 10h44, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were alerted by NSRI lifeguards, at Main Beach Wilderness, who were launching into the surf to assist 2 men caught in rip currents.

NSRI Wilderness, conducting routine training at the NSRI Wilderness rescue station, dispatched NSRI rescue swimmers while the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Rotary, that was on the water at the time, diverted to respond.

2 NSRI lifeguards reached the 2 casualties, age 21 and 25, who are both on a church excursion to the coast, from Pretoria.

1 casualty was brought to shore by an NSRI lifeguard using a rescue torpedo buoy.

1 casualty, found in the care of an NSRI lifeguard in the surf line, was assisted by an NSRI rescue swimmer, who was deployed from the NSRI rescue craft into the water.

That casualty was rescued onto the NSRI rescue craft and the lifeguard and the NSRI rescue swimmer were recovered onto the NSRI rescue craft.

The casualty was brought safely onto the beach.

Both patients were treated at the beach for non-fatal drowning symptoms and they required no further medical attention.

The swift response by our NSRI lifeguards is commended.

PLETTENBERG BAY:

NSRI STN 14 PLETTENBERG BAY:

Jaco Kruger, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, said:

On Friday, 8 December, at 16h31, NSRI Plettenberg Bay were alerted to a ships horn, heard by a farm, in the vicinity of Airport Road, and the farmer was concerned that the vessel may be sounding a distress.

While NSRI were confident that the 7 short and 1 long sound, from the ships horn, indicated a standard shipping drill it was investigated to be sure.

MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), Telkom Maritime Radio Services and NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), identified 2 vessels in the area and it was confirmed that a standard drill was being exercised by one of the vessels.

It is common, from time to time, where wind and weather conditions, and the proximity of a vessel at sea close to land, may cause a ships horn to be heard from land and NSRI has commended the farmer for his vigilance.

STILBAAI:

NSRI STN 31 STILBAAI:

Jean du Plessis, NSRI Stilbaai station commander, said:

On Sunday, 10 December, during the morning, NSRI Stilbaai were alerted to an adult male who, while fishing at Goukou River, was caught in rip currents.

NSRI were informed that a local unidentified man on a sea-kayak had rescued the fisherman safely to the shore and he was not injured and he required no assistance.

The Good Samaritan man on the sea-kayak, who NSRI has not been able to identify, is commended for his good deed

At around midday, while NSRI lifeguards, due to be deployed along Stilbaai Beaches from 15 December, under contract to the Overberg Municipality, were conducting routine training at Lappiesbaai, they were alerted by public members to an adult male and an adult female caught in rip currents near to Lappiesbaai.

3 NSRI lifeguards launched into the surf armed with rescue torpedo buoys and wearing fins.

On reaching the 2 casualties they assisted them to stay afloat before swimming them out of the rip currents and bringing them both safely to shore.

The 2 casualties were not injured.

The swift response by the lifeguards is commended.

A short while later the same NSRI lifeguards, while continuing with their routine training, they noticed a young male child caught in rip currents.

One of the lifeguards launched into the surf, armed with a rescue torpedo buoy and wearing fins, he quickly caught up with the casualty and was able to bring the child safely to shore where he was reunited with family members, and not injured he required no further assistance.

A short while later, at 12h54, NSRI Stilbaai were alerted to a 12 year old girl, from Worcester, caught in strong currents at the estuary mouth and she was reported to be in severe distress.

A bystander Good Samaritan, Mr Berno Smit, from Pretoria, having noticed what was happening, had launched into the water and on reaching the girl he managed to swim her safely to the beach.

NSRI Stilbaai crew arriving on the scene medically attended to the girl who was stabilised on the scene, showing signs and symptomns of non-fatal drowning, and she was transported to hospital by a bystander in a stable condition.

She is expected to make a full recovery.

NSRI commend Good samaritan Berno Smit for his actions that contributed to the child's life being saved.

On Wednesday, 6 December, at 09h08, NSRI Stilbaai launched the NSRI rescue craft Breede Rescuer to assist an SA National Defence Force pencil duck that capsized 2 nautical miles off-shore of Morris Point while taking part in an annual military endurance challenge around the coast.

On arrival on the scene the male and the female military members were found to have been rescued from the water onto a second military pencil duck and they were not injured.

The 2 casualties were transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft. The casualty pencil duck was righted and towed to shore and recovered by NSRI without incident

NSRI believe that the military endurance challenge continued on the following day.

ST LUCIA:

NSRI STN 40 ST LUCIA:

Jan Hoffman, NSRI St Lucia station commander, said:

At 13h31, Sunday, 10 December, NSRI St Lucia duty crew responded to search along St Lucia Beach line where a father and his son, on holiday from Gauteng, had gone cycling about 3 hours earlier and after contact with them had failed, by a family member, and with them having failed to return, the alarm was raised.

While a search was being initiated it was reported that the dad had fallen off his bicycle and had sustained injuries.

Netcare 911 ambulance services were activated.

NSRI St Lucia medics located them along the St Lucia Main Beach where they had reportedly reached after they had pushed their bikes along the beach for 2 kilometers after the dad had sustained injuries in the fall.

The dad, age ,53, was medically treated for injuries he had sustained when he came off his bike, and he was transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance in a stable condition where he is expected to make a full recovery.

SALDANHA BAY:

NSRI STN 4 MYKONOS:

Nic Stevens, NSRI Mykonos station commander, said:

At 07h20, Friday, 8 December, NSRI Mykonos duty crew were alerted to a fisherman suffering a medical complaint onboard a Hout Bay fishing vessel off-shore of Saldanha Bay.

Transnet National Ports Authority Saldanha Bay Port Control were alerted.

The NSRI Mykonos rescue craft Rotary Burnett was launched and we rendezvoused with the fishing vessel 6 nautical miles from our NSRI Mykonos rescue station.

The patient, a 41 year old Hout Bay man, walking wounded, was transferred onto our rescue craft and he was brought to the small craft harbour where a colleague of the fishing company transported him to hospital for further care.