Multiple incidents including animal rescues and a solo sailor assisted

There were multiple incidents across the country between the period of Thursday 28 November and Tuesday 3 December including responses to a distress signal, the rescues of a border collie and turtle, and the assistance of a solo sailor.

GLENCAIRN:
 
On Monday, 2 December, at 10h34, NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated to assist CMR (Cape Medical Response) responding to Glencairn Beach tidal pool where CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were reportedly in progress on a 9 year old male who we believe had been rescued from the tidal pool following a drowning accident.
 
The NSRI Simonstown rescue vehicle, additional NSRI Simonstown crew were dispatched, and WC Government Health EMS Metro Control were alerted.
 
On arrival on the scene, it was found that 2 male children, reportedly on a small local school excursion to the beach, we believe accompanied by teachers, carers and an NGO, had reportedly been rescued by members of the group from the tidal pool water.
 
2 Australian doctors, who we believe may be part of the NGO accompanying the children and the school, had conducted CPR on one of the children and a pulse and spontaneous breathing had been restored but the child was in a critical condition.
 
The second child was in a stable condition taken into the care of CMR paramedics.
 
CMR paramedics assisted the 2 doctors with medical treatment to the children.
 
The EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was activated by EMS Metro Control.
 
NSRI Simonstown crew assisted on the scene, including establishing a landing zone for the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter.
 
The 9 year old child was airlifted to hospital aboard the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter in the care of paramedics in a critical condition.
 
The second child was transported to hospital by CMR ambulance in a serious but stable condition.
 
Details surrounding the incident, including the involvement of a local school, the NGO and the 2 doctors, is not clear.
 
We believe that the 9 year old child remains in a critical condition in the care of doctors and nurses in hospital but is believed to be stable.
 
Thoughts are with the family of the child in this difficult time.
 
GQEBERHA:
 
At 00h26, Tuesday, 3 December, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following reports from Port Elizabeth International Airport ATC (Air Traffic Control) of pilots on a commercial regional aircraft, approaching the airport, reporting to have witnessed 2 red distress flares offshore in Algoa Bay.
 
An additional call was received by a local resident eyewitness reporting the sighting of the 2 red distress flares.
 
The NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 and Rescue 6 Alpha were launched.
 
TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control were notified and Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships alert for that area for vessels to keep a sharp lookout.
 
Using advanced search technology an extensive grid pattern search area was established, in cooperation with NSRI EOC (EmergencyOperations Centre) and NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers - an extensive search operation was commenced.
 
Despite the extensive sea and shoreline search that continued into the morning, to 08h00, no signs of any vessels or persons in any distress were found.
 
NSRI and authorities are continuing to monitor but there remain no reports of anyone missing or overdue, related to this case, and the red distress flare activation remains a mystery.
 
HEROLDS BAY:
 
Garth Dominy, NSRI Wilderness duty controller, said:
 
At 18h42, Tuesday, 3 December, NSRI Wilderness duty crew and Herolds Bay NSRI lifeguards were alerted following a request for assistance from a local lady, reporting her brother to be on the coastal trail, West, between Herolds Bay and Voelklip, reporting that their Border Collie dog had fallen from a cliff and was stranded below the cliff, about 50 to 70 meters down the cliff to the waters edge, on the shoreline rocks, and they were unable to reach the dog below the steep cliffs.
 
The NSRI JetRib rescue craft Vee’s Rescuer was launched while our NSRI rescue vehicle, NSRI crew, carrying headlamps and spotlights, and Herolds Bay NSRI lifeguards and a friend of theirs, responded.
 
It was initially suspected that the dog may be in the water.
 
NSRI Wilderness crewman Hannes Snyman, 3 Herolds Bay NSRI lifeguards, Alex, Michael and Aiden Meyer, brothers, and their friend, Reuben van der Berg, arrived on the scene where they determined that the dog had fallen off the cliff while playing with birds.
 
They could see the dog from the cliff top, below on rocks on the shoreline.
 
Vee’s Rescuer had arrived on the scene and remained offshore beyond the breakers while the 3 Herolds Bay NSRI lifeguards and their friend negotiated steep cliffs to reach the dog on the rocks on the waters edge, finding the dog appearing to be bruised and shaken but otherwise okay.
 
The lifeguards, and the friend, were able to recover and secure the dog into a towel and climb up the cliffs back to the cliff path trail with the dog in their care.
 
In difficult and steep terrain, increasing in urgency to escape the fading light, they got the dog safely up the cliff and reunited the dog with the owner and accompanied them back to Herolds Bay.
 
Local resident Kobus Groenewald confirmed that “Lulu”, their Border Collie, age 15 months, is recovering, appearing to be in good spirits, and they monitored Lulu during the night for any signs and symptoms that may require a Vet’s care. On Wednesday morning Lulu was seen to by a local Vet and confirmed to be uninjured and in good health.
 
The swift response by NSRI Wilderness, Herolds Bay NSRI lifeguards and their friend, is commended.
 
PORT ALFRED:
 
Chris Pike, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:
 
NSRI Port Alfred attended to 3 incidents in the past days.
 
On Thursday, 28 November, NSRI Port Alfred were alerted to a local around the world male solo sailor reporting steering failure to his 6 meter sailing yacht.
 
The sailor put to anchor, offshore of Port Alfred, and on Friday afternoon NSRI launched to investigate but sea conditions in the Kowie River Mouth were not conducive to tow the sailing yacht through the river mouth.
 
On Saturday afternoon, NSRI Port Alfred launched rescue craft and towed the yacht safely to the small boat harbour, in Port Alfred, where the yacht was moored without incident and repairs will be affected by the sailor.
 
On Saturday afternoon, 30 November, NSRI Port Alfred launched rescue craft up the Kowie River to assist a turtle reported by bystanders to be appearing to be injured and in distress.
 
On arrival on the scene a turtle, with injuries from unknown causes, was recovered by NSRI Port Alfred rescue swimmers and brought to the NSRI Port Alfred station 11 rescue base aboard the NSRI rescue craft.
 
The turtle was transported to Bay World in Gqeberha for further care and NSRI is informed that the turtle will be transported to the V&A Aquarium for further medical care and rehabilitation.
 
On Sunday, 1 December, at 13h04, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following reports from the Ndlambe Municipal beach manager of a drowning in progress at West Beach.
 
The beach manager had thrown the NSRI pink rescue buoy towards a local 20 year old male who was in difficulty in the surf but the pink rescue buoy had not reached the man who was in distress.
 
NSRI Port Alfred prepared to launch rescue craft and NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene.
 
Local Good Samaritan Edward Gutsche, who was nearby at the time and noticed the man in distress, grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy and with his body boarding flippers on, he launched into the water to assist the man.
 
Edward reached the casualty in the mid surf break where using the NSRI pink rescue buoy to aid the casualty to stay afloat he towed the casualty through the breakers safely to the beach.
 
On NSRI’s arrival on the scene, following a medical assessment to the casualty, he was found to not be injured, and he was advised to keep a watch for non-fatal drowning symptoms.
 
Good Samaritan Edward Gutsche, who assisted in a similar case in 2022 at Kelly’s Beach for which he received an NSRI award, is commended for saving the man's life.

This is the 201st successful NSRI pink rescue buoy rescue, that we know of, where to date, no harm has come to any bystander using a pink rescue buoy to save a life, since the inception of the NSRI pink rescue buoy program in 2017.