CAPE TOWN: In 2 separate incidents, on Saturday, 26 October, a man was bitten by a marine animal at Blue Waters, False Bay, and a man was bitten by a seal at Big Bay, Bloubergstrand.
NSRI, City authorities, lifeguards and the emergency services, are appealing to bathers to be cautious in and around coastal water. Swim at beaches protected by lifeguards.
At 13h00, Saturday, 26 October, the City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network was activated by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), and by Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services - Fire Control, following an emergency call to the CoCT 107 emergency number, reporting a man bitten by a marine animal while wading in the surf in chest deep water, at Blue Waters Beach, False Bay.
CoCT ASLC (Alpha Surf Lifesaving Club) lifeguards medically attended to the (believed to be) 65 year old local man who had been bitten on a hand and a leg by an as yet undetermined small marine animal.
The man who was bitten, and bystanders, suspected that the animal may have been a small shark. The bite wounds are being investigated by authorities to determine the species.
WC Government Health EMS Metro Control dispatched Life Healthcare response paramedics, an EMS rescue paramedic and an EMS ambulance.
Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and CoCT Law Enforcement responded.
Paramedics, Law Enforcement and Fire and Rescue Services joined the CoCT Alpha Surf lifeguards on the scene while the SA Police Services and NSRI Strandfontein were placed on alert.
CoCT Alpha Surf lifeguards had quickly notified responding services that the man was out of the water and in good spirits, in their care, on the beach, and the lifeguards had bandaged his wounds. He was walking wounded.
The man was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition for further care.
Alpha Surf lifeguards are commended for quickly attending to the matter.
Later, on Saturday, it was reported by Western Province Lifesaving, BBSLC (Big Bay Surf Lifesaving Club), and Big Bay Events, that a local male had sustained a small seal bite wound while on an open water swim.
The man was advised to clean the wound and to attend at a hospital for further care and evaluation of the bite.
CoCT authorities were notified of the incident.
RICHARDS BAY:
Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay deputy station commander, said:
On Saturday, 26 October, at 08h19, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated following a distress call from a local man and his daughter reporting to be in difficulties on their jet-ski, about 2 nautical miles off-shore of Alkanstrand.
Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Richards Bay station 19 rescue base where we launched the rescue craft Spirit of Round table II.
While approaching the casualties a local private vessel arrived on the scene rescuing the female from the water.
The male was taken onboard our rescue craft and the female was transferred from the private vessel onto our rescue craft. She was treated for hypothermia.
The private vessel, RockaBilly, her skipper and crew, are commended for their assistance.
We took the jet-ski under tow and brought them to Richards Bay Ski-Boat Club where their craft was recovered.
By that stage the young lady had been rewarmed and they required no further assistance.
It appears that the jet-ski's motor may have failed, while they were out at sea, causing them to get into distress.
GQEBERHA:
Mark Dawson, NSRI Gqeberha duty coxswain, said:
At 04h23, Friday, 25 October, NSRI Gqeberha station 6 rescue base was opened to prepare to launch on a medical evacuation operation off a bulk carrier motor vessel in Algoa Bay.
The NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha was launched, accompanied by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic and NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew.
We rendezvoused with the vessel about 10 nautical miles offshore in Algoa Bay.
NSRI MEX crew were transferred onto the vessel and the patient, age 29, from China, suffering an injury associated with a medical complaint, walking wounded, was secured into a harness and transferred onto our rescue craft and into the care of the EMS rescue paramedic.
The patient was brought to our rescue base and in a stable condition he was been transported to hospital by EMS ambulance for further medical care.
Our NSRI rescue base was closed at 06h55.
NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port ElizabethPort Control, the SA Police Services - SAPS Sea Borderline Control, EC Government Health EMS duty controllers, TNPA Port of Durban Health authorities, WC Government Health EMS metro control and a duty doctor, Telkom Maritime Radio Services and the ships agent, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in the logistics and the coordination of this medical evacuation operation.
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