Jean le Roux, NSRI Hermanus coxswain, said: At 14h40, Thursday, 18 December, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following reports of a person observed appearing to be unresponsive floating face down in the sea offshore of Schulphoek, Hermanus.
NSRI rescue swimmers, The SA Police Services, Overstrand Law Enforcement officers and CMC ambulance services responded directly to the scene while the NSRI Hermanus rescue craft JetRIB and the NSRI rescue craft Leonard Smith were launched.
WC Government Health EMS and Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were alerted.
While responding to the scene further information indicated that the incident was related to that of a Cape Town man who had reportedly been swept off rocks by waves.
CMC ambulance services and WC Government Health EMS responded to the NSRI station 17 rescue base.
On the NSRI rescue craft arriving on the scene the man was recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft, and he was brought to the NSRI Hermanus rescue base where paramedics sadly declared the man deceased.
The body of the man, (believed to be) age 27, was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
Police have opened an Inquest docket.
Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man.
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