Three Separate Drowning Incidents in Plettenberg Bay

At 12h37 on Thursday, 1 January, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Nature’s Valley Beach.

The NSRI Plettenberg Bay emergency call-out siren was sounded.

At the time, NSRI Plettenberg Bay crew were in the area conducting routine training exercises. The NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Pilatus responded.

NSRI rescue swimmers and the NSRI rescue vehicle responded to the scene, while additional duty crew responded to the NSRI Plettenberg Bay Station 14 rescue base and launched the NSRI rescue craft Courtenay’s Rescuer.

On arrival at the scene, NSRI witnessed a 56-year-old male being rescued from the water by a 16-year-old male bystander. The Good Samaritan had used an NSRI pink rescue buoy to successfully rescue the man from the water. They were in shallow surf and nearly ashore.

NSRI medics attended to the man, who was found to be uninjured and required no further medical assistance.

The teenage Good Samaritan, Dylan Yorke (16), from Pietermaritzburg, has been commended for his efforts.

At 15h04 on Thursday, 1 January, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Nature’s Valley Lagoon.

An NSRI quad bike rescue vehicle, with NSRI rescue swimmers, was dispatched to join Bitou lifeguards who were already on scene after rescuing a 7-year-old male child from Crags from the water.

Western Cape Government Health EMS were activated.

The child was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and was transported to hospital by Metro EMS ambulance, accompanied by his father, in a stable condition. He remains in hospital in the care of doctors and nurses, in a stable condition.

On Wednesday, 31 December, at 17h11, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Robberg Beach.

NSRI dispatched rescue swimmers and medics to the scene, where on arrival it was found that two 24-year-old males from Johannesburg had been rescued from the water by a bystander Good Samaritan using an NSRI pink rescue buoy.

The Good Samaritan had left the beach before NSRI arrived on scene.

The two casualties were not injured.

NSRI commend the unidentified Good Samaritan for his efforts.