American Tourist Rescued After Non-Fatal Drowning at Gordons Bay

An American man assisted after appearing to suffer a non-fatal drowning incident.

Roan Strydom, NSRI Gordons Bay coxswain, said:

At 10h04, Friday, 14 November, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a lady reporting a friend to be in distress on rocks on the shoreline at Grille Shack, between Gordons Bay and Kogel Bay.

Our NSRI rescue vehicle, GB Med Sec ambulance services and WC Government Health EMS rescue squad responded to the scene where a 76 year old American man had managed to have (we believe) reached rocks on the shoreline after it appears he may have gotten into difficulties in the water while swimming.

Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services were alerted and responded to assist.

The patient, accompanied by family and friends, all Americans, was found to be in distress on rocks after taking a swim. He had reached rocks on the shoreline after getting into difficulties during a swim.

The man may have suffered a non-fatal drowning incident.

The incident scene, being a fair distance down slopes on the shoreline away from the coastal roadway, the man was stabilised by paramedics on the rocks before being secured into a Stokes basket stretcher and he was hauled safely up the slopes to the roadway by NSRI members, GB Med Sec paramedics, EMS rescue squad and assisted by CoCT Fire and Rescue Services.

Further medical treatment was provided to the man, by paramedics in a GB Med Sec ambulance, and he was then transported to hospital, in a stable condition, by GB Med Sec ambulance for further medical care and he has made a full recovery.