SAFETY ALERT and incidents at Hermanus, Durban and Cape Town:

SAFETY ALERT: NSRI and the emergency services are appealing to the public to take caution around the coastline as storm seas, coupled with the new moon Spring tide that peaks on Tuesday, the 3rd September, will contribute to dangerous sea conditions around the South African coastline. Spring tide and rough seas (caused by recent cold fronts and deep sea storms) may cause stronger than normal rip currents. Some areas around the coast may be cut off from mainland during the Spring high tide. Paddlers, boaters, sailors, bathers, coastal hikers and shoreline anglers are urged to heed to extreme caution during this Spring tide phase that will reduce in intensity towards the end of the first week of September.

HERMANUS:

NSRI and emergency services, in a high angle technical rescue operation, rescue a man who was injured in a fall at Geirings Point.

Willem de Bruyn, NSRI Hermanus station commander, said:

At 13h35, Friday, 30 August, NSRI Hermanus dispatched an NSRI Hermanus rescue vehicle to investigate reports from Overberg Emergency Control of a man fallen at the Hermanus cliff walk at Gearings Point, Hermanus.

NSRI Hermanus, the SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, Hermanus CMC (Critical Medical Care) and Overberg Fire and Rescue Services responded.

On arrival on the scene Police were in attendance at the casualty who was reported to be semi conscious after falling a significant distance from a cliff and landing on rocks, appearing to be critically injured.

NSRI crew and paramedics reached the 30 year old male casualty where medical treatment was initiated.

Rescue gear was transferred to the scene where a high angle rescue operation was commenced.

Secured into a Stokes basket stretcher, using Fire and Rescue Services and EMS rescue squad ladders, and rope technical high angle systems, the man, in a serious condition, was hoisted up the cliff in a coordinated rescue operation led by rescue paramedics.

On the patient being brought safely to the cliff top he was loaded into an ambulance and in the care of paramedics he was transported to hospital by CMC ambulance in a serious but stable condition for further medical care.

DURBAN:

Rescue at Durban Harbour: Five lives saved following a swift response to a capsize boat in Durban harbour:

Paul Bevis, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said:

At 05h30, Saturday, 31 August, NSRI Durban duty crew were activated by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control reporting a boat capsized in Durban's Port.

The small ski-boat, reportedly with 5 crew onboard, 4 men and 1 lady, were in distress in the water at the capsized boat.

NSRI Durban duty crew responded to the NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base where the NSRI rescue vessel Rescue 5 Alpha was launched.

Already 2 private vessels, "Double Strike" and "Simply the Best", nearby at the time, had responded following alerts posted by Durban Port Control on the harbour marine VHF radio frequency.

The 5 occupants of the capsized vessel were struggling in the water.

A swift, coordinated effort, saw the 2 private boats rescue all 5 casualty crew from the water.

The NSRI rescue craft arrived on the scene finding all 5 casualty crew safely on the 2 private boats.

2 NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed - medical treatment was initiated to the 5 casualties who were showing signs of hypothermia.

The 5 casualties were brought safely to shore aboard the 2 boats "Simply the Best" and Double Strike.

The NSRI rescue swimmers had free dived under the upturned hull to make certain that there were no additional casualties trapped - it was confirmed that there had only been the 5 crew onboard and they were all accounted for.

The NSRI rescue swimmers then prepared the casualty boat to be righted and using the NSRI rescue craft the casualty boat was righted and brought to shore where the boat was recovered.

The swift response and the coordinated efforts of Durban Port Control, the 2 private boats and NSRI Durban is commended for saving the lives of all 5 crew of the capsized boat.

TABLE BAY:

A South African female crew member of a container motor vessel has been taken to hospital for treatment for medical complications in medical evacuation operation.

Paula Leech , NSRI Table Bay duty controller, said:

At 12h42, Friday, 30 August, NSRI Table Bay duty crew and WC Government Health EMS rescue paramedics were placed on alert to prepare to medically evacuate a patient, suffering medical complications, onboard a 398 meter container motor vessel on a voyage from Rotterdam to Malaysia and passing by Cape Town.

The operation initially expected to take place at 16h30 was then updated on information received and was launched at 17h30.

A replacement crew member, a male, was arranged to accompany our NSRI rescue craft to be transferred onto the motor vessel take over the duties of the patient for the remainder of their voyage.

At 18h11 the NSRI rescue craft DHL Deliverer, accompanied by EMS rescuer paramedics and NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew, and the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Day, were launched, and we rendezvoused with the motor vessel off-shore of Sea Point activated following

NSRI MEX crew were transferred onto the motor vessel where the patient was secured into a harness and transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft DHL Deliverer.

The replacement crew member was safely transferred onto the motor vessel.

The patient was brought to our NSRI Table Bay station 3 rescue base and transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition for further medical care.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Table Bay duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS Metro Control, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Table Bay Port Control, TNPA Port Health authorities, Telkom Maritime Radio Services and the ship agent assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the logistics and coordination of the medical evacuation operation. craft was launched

HOUT BAY:

A SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board) paddler has been rescued after being caught in high winds offshore of Chapmans Peak.

Spencer Oldham, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said:

At 14h43, Saturday, 31 August, NSRIO Hout Bay duty controllers were alerted by a Llandudno Lifesaving Club lifeguard who was witnessing a SUP paddler appearing to be in difficulty offshore of Chapmans Peak.

It appeared the the paddler was being blown further out to sea despite efforts to paddle towards the shoreline.

NSRI Hout Bay coast watchers were requested to "look out" while additional NSRI Hout Bay crew were dispatched to investigate.

With eyewitness reports being received that indicated the paddler was now falling off his board and appeared to be in increasing distress our NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated to respond to our NSRI Hout Bay station 8 rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft Albie Matthews was launched.

The Llandudno lifeguard and NSRI rescue crew, observing the paddler from a vantage point height along Chapans Peak Drive, and with increased concerns that the paddler was now appearing to be in peril, assisted to direct the NSRI rescue craft to the paddlers location.

On the NSRI rescue craft Albie Matthews arriving on the scene, between Flora Bay and Tintswalo, the paddler, a 39 year old Chinese male tourist, who had hired the SUP, was rescued onto the NSRI rescue craft.

A WC Government Health EMS rescue vehicle, in Hout Bay at the time, was activated by EMS Metro Control, to assist to medically evacuate the patient at NSRI Hout Bay base.

The man was brought to our NSRI rescue base where following some medical treatment for hypothermia he required no further assistance.