A well known Melkbosstrand man is sadly deceased

Well-known and highly respected in the community, local John Flanigan, age 80, is sadly deceased following an incident at sea offshore South of On-the-Rocks, Bloubergstrand, on his sea-kayak. Condolences are conveyed to family and friends.

At 07h45, Saturday, 31 January, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a sea-kayak unmanned - appearing to be capsized - in the vicinity offshore South of On-the-Rocks, Bloubergstrand.

West Coast community coast watchers were alerted and assisted to get visuals.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the scene while our NSRI duty crew responded to our NSRI Melkbosstrand station 18 rescue base and dispatched our NSRI rescue vehicle towing our NSRI rescue craft JetRIB which was launched at Small Bay, Bloubergstrand.

Arriving in the vicinity we found a group of swimmers offshore South of On-the-Rocks with the sea-kayak.

The swimmers indicated to NSRI crew that offshore of Blouberg there was a man, who had been on the sea-kayak, he was being assisted by a lady Good Samaritan on a SUP (stand-up paddle board), and by additional swimmers, Good Samaritans, and that the casualty man was unresponsive.

Our NSRI jetRIB responded in that direction while NSRI shore crew responded to South of On-the-Rocks.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) alerted emergency services.

Community Medics, ER24 ambulance services, WC Government Health EMS, Netcare 911 ambulance services and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services officers responded.

The NSRI craft reached the SUP and the swimmers where NSRI took the casualty onboard the NSRI rescue craft initiating CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts.

The rescue craft came ashore at Small Bay, Bloubergstrand, where NSRI medics continued with CPR and were joined on the scene by paramedics.

Despite extensive CPR efforts, after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly he was declared deceased by paramedics.

The SA Police Services attended at the scene where the body of the man was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

It appears that local well known and highly respected 80 year old John Flanigan was paddling on his sea-kayak, offshore of Blouberg Beach, and the causes of the incident are under investigation.

In circumstances still being determined John was assisted by a SUP paddle boarder and by a group of swimmers that he had reportedly paddled out to greet on Saturday morning, during their regular morning swim and during his regular morning paddle on his sea-kayak

NSRI has commended the SUP paddle boarder and swimmers for their swift actions assisting John before NSRI arrived.

The extensive efforts by NSRI medics and paramedics is commended.

John had recently successfully completed a Robben Island swim. John will be dearly missed by family, friends, the local community, NSRI and lifeguards.

Police have opened an Inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man.

Header Photo: Marzahn Botha