Busy Means Giving Back in So Many Ways

For the NSRI volunteers being busy means putting your life on the line in order to give back to society in so many ways that will be remembered for years to come. And, therein lies the rub, all that training cries out to be put to good use, whilst the brave men and women pray that no-one will be placed in peril on the sea.

In a busy week for NSRI, lifeguards, Police and the emergency services, we are appealing to the public to have safety top of mind in and around water.

JEFFREYS BAY:

An Inquest docket has been opened by Police after a 57 year old woman sadly drowned at Tapas Beach, Jeffreys Bay, on Friday, 24 January.

Kristo Kritzinger, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, said: At 12h27, Friday, 24 January, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Tapas Beach, Jeffreys Bay.

Fishermen had raised the alarm after noticing a man and a women enter the water before then seeing the man struggling to get out of the water, but the female was missing.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene to join a Kouga Municipal lifeguard who had initiated a search for the missing lady.

Additional NSRI rescue swimmers and Kouga Municipal lifeguards joined in free dive sweeping line search efforts for the missing 57 year old lady.

Her husband, age 63, was safe on the beach and he feared that his wife, reported to be partially paralysed, had drowned.

2 NSRI rescue craft, our rescue JetRib, Rescue 37 Alpha, and our rescue jet-ski, Rescue 37 Charlie, joined in a search operation in the surf zone and beyond.

Our NSRI rescue vehicle, our NSRI side by side, Rescue 37 Victor, the SA Police Services (SAPS), Gardmed ambulance services, Relay ambulance services and Exec Ops Security joined in search efforts.

Integrated Aerial Systems, launched a rescue drone unit, operated by NSRI coast watcher Rieghard Janse van Rensburg, conducting aerial search efforts, and SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services conducted search efforts in the water.

Despite the extensive air, sea and shoreline search no signs of the missing female were located.

NSRI were notified by Police, at 00h38, Saturday morning, that the body of the female had been located and recovered on the beach.

The body of the female was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased female.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

EAST LONDON:

NSRI East London assisted in 2 operations involving sailing yachts caught in incidents in rough seas between Durban and East London.

Cathrine Prentis, NSRI East London station commander, said: On Wednesday, 22 January, during the early evening, NSRI East London were placed on alert to prepare to assist Priority Care ambulance services, who had been alerted by Buffalo River Yacht Club to expect a sailing yacht arriving later that evening, with an injured British female crewman onboard requiring medical care.

Priority Care ambulance services requested NSRI’s assistance on the scene to assist in recovering the injured female from the yacht.

It appears that the female, age 68, from Weymouth, United Kingdom, had been injured on the sailing yacht in rough seas between Durban and East London.

On the sailing yachts arrival in East London, with 3 crew onboard, NSRI East London crew assisted Priority Care paramedics to extricate the injured lady from the yacht and she was transported to hospital, by Priority Care ambulance, where she is recovering.

On Monday, 27 January, during the afternoon, NSRI East London were monitoring a French sailing yacht that was approaching the Port of East London, with sail and mechanical motor damage, requiring assistance to get into Port.

The sailing yacht’s last Port of call was the Port of Durban and reportedly suffered sail damage, motor and propellor damage, in rough seas, on her voyage towards East London.

The NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Lotto was launched and without incident we rafted alongside the casualty sailing yacht bringing her safely to a berth at East Bank Wharf at 17h30, in the Port of East London, where her crew will affect repairs to their sailing yacht before continuing on their voyage.

DURBAN:

Medical evacuation from a motor vessel of an Indian seaman.

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said: At 07h30, Sunday, 26 January, NSRI Durban duty crew were placed on alert to prepare for the medical evacuation of an Indian seaman, age 28, suffering an injury sustained onboard a motor vessel bulk carrier, that was due to arrive offshore of the Port of Durban later, in the early evening.

NSRI Durban duty controllers, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, Port Health Authorities, a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor, Red Line ambulance services duty control and Police Sea Borderline Control, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and coordination of the medical evacuation operation.

At 18h00 the NSRI rescue craft Alick Rennie was launched, accompanied by a Red Line ambulance service rescue paramedic, and we rendezvoused with the vessel 3 nautical miles offshore of the Port of Durban.

In rough sea conditions the motor vessel created a lee for our rescue craft to come safely alongside where 2 NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crewmen and the Red Line rescue paramedic were transferred onto the bulk carrier.

The patient, in the care of the ships medical crew, was medically assessed by the paramedic and in a stable condition, secured into a harness, life-jacket and safety line, he was transferred onto our rescue craft followed by the rescue crew.

The patient, in the care of the paramedic, was brought to our NSRI station 5 rescue base onboard the Alick Rennie rescue craft and he was transported to hospital by Red Line ambulance for further medical care.

TABLE BAY:

NSRI assist a man injured during the start of a yacht regatta on Saturday. And during a search for a kite-boarder a second kite-boarder is assisted on Sunday:

Quentin Botha, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said: On Saturday, 25 January, NSRI Table Bay, while conducting routine training, were diverted to assist a 69 year old male injured on a sailing yacht during the start of a yacht regatta where at least 5 sailing yachts had collided offshore of Granger Bay.

All 5 sailing yachts were safe, untangling themselves from each other from a collision that reportedly happened during the start of the regatta.

On the NSRI rescue craft DHL Deliverer arriving on the scene the injured man was transferred onto the rescue craft and he was brought to our NSRI Table Bay station 3 rescue base and transported to hospital in a stable condition by ER24 ambulance where he was later discharged.

The sailing yachts continued on their sailing regatta without incident.

On Sunday, 26 January, at 13h23, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following reports a sailing yacht reporting to be attempting to assist a kite-boarder that was in distress offshore of Sunset Beach, Milnerton.

The NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Day was launched and on arrival on the scene it was found that the kite-boarder was no longer at the yacht.

Milnerton Surf lifeguards were requested to keep a look out for the kite-boarder, with a blue sail and pink cap, while NSRI conducted a search offshore.

While in the area NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) dispatched the NSRI Table Bay rescue craft to a second call for a kite-boarder in distress offshore of the Blue Peter Hotel.

That kite-boarder was taken onboard the NSRI rescue craft and dropped off at Milnerton beach without incident.

Big Bay Surf Lifesaving were notified.

It was suspected that the first kite-boarder (blue sail, pink helmet) had made it ashore as no further signs of the kite-boarder, offshore of Sunset Beach, could be located.

West Coast coast watchers assisted to keep a look out and after still no signs of that kite-boarder located and no reports of anyone missing or overdue, NSRI Table bay returned to base after thanking the lifeguards and the coast watchers for their assistance.

STRUISBAAI:

NSRI Agulhas assist after 2 boats collide at sea.

Reinard Geldenhuys, NSRI Agulhas coxswain, said: At 07h00, Saturday, 25 January, NSRI Agulhas duty crew were activated following reports of a collision between two local boats offshore of Struisbaai at the 5 Mile Bank.

A Mayday distress call had been intercepted, on Marine Channel 16 VHF radio emergency frequency, by a local radio operator.

The NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas was launched and we rendezvoused with the 2 local boats 5 nautical miles East of Stuisbaai.

All 10 crew involved were accounted for and all were safe – 4 crew on one boat and 6 crew on the second boat.

One of the boats was taking water after suffering serious damage and was not under power (vessel with 6 crew onboard).

The second vessel had sustained damage but was limping slowly towards Struisbaai harbour (vessel with 4 crew onboard).

NSRI took the seriously damaged vessel under tow and towed her to Struisbaai harbour where once safely in the harbour we helped the crew to get their craft onto her trailer.

The second vessel arrived in Struisbaai harbour without incident.

The cause the collision is being investigated.

HARTBEESPOORT DAM:

There remains no signs of a dog that went missing on the Crocodile River near to Hennops.

Arthur Crewe, NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam station commander, said: On Friday, 24 January, NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam duty crew were activated to assist Dog Town after eyewitnesses reported a dog trapped on the river banks of the Crocodile River.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing the dog trying to cross the swift flowing river but had retreated back to a rock constellation appearing to be trapped and unable to get up steep rocks with the only escape appearing to be from the river side.

On NSRI arriving on the scene the dog was no longer in amongst the rocks.

NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam swift water rescue crew, members of local Dog Town and public members. searched for the dog well into the late afternoon, downstream, but finding no signs of the dog, and no owners coming forward to report their dog missing, the search was suspended.

We suspect that the dog had made it across the river further downstream.

HERMANUS:

A local man fell some 5 meters off a cliff suffering serious injuries.

Jean du Plessis, NSRI Hermanus duty coxswain, said: At 12h19, Friday, 24 January, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated to assist WC Government Health EMS at an incident in front of the Windsor Hotel where a local man had fallen from the foot path down a steep cliff about 5 to 6 meters, narrowly escaping falling further.

It had initially been suspected that the patient was in the water.

NSRI medics and crew joined the SA Police Services, Metro rescue, CNC ambulance services and Overstrand Fire and Rescue Services, on the scene where the local adult male was stabilised by paramedics and then carried up the steps secured into a stretcher before being transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a serious but stable condition.