SEA RESCUE – Gauteng – Saturday, 13 January. Female missing in Rivonia suspected to have been swept away in flash floods. A man rescued after vehicle swept off low lying bridge:
Gerhard Potgieter, NSRI Gauteng station commander, said:
NSRI are appealing to motorists and pedestrians not to attempt to proceed through flooded roadways and not to attempt to cross over bridges affected by swollen or flooded river ways.
On 12 January, at 20h05, NSRI Gauteng duty crew were activated to assist in a search, commenced by Police and the emergency services, for a female missing in Rivonia.
It appears that while a female was driving on Rivonia Road, near to Witkoppen Road, the vehicle she was travelling in was swept into The Sand River in flash floods.
The vehicle had been located but the sole occupant of the vehicle was missing and suspected to have been swept down river in the flash floods.
NSRI Gauteng crew joined the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, SARZA Search and Rescue and GEMS (Gauteng Emergency Medical Services) on the scene.
No signs of the female were located despite an extensive search.
On Saturday morning, at 07h00, NSRI Gauteng crew, SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, SARZA Search and Rescue, GEMS (Gauteng Emergency Medical Services) and City of Johannesburg Fire and Rescue Services continued in an ongoing search in and along the banks of the Sand River.
After further flash floods were forecast the extensive search was suspended at around 15h00 and the ongoing search will resume on Sunday.
Thoughts are with the family of the missing female in this difficult time.
At 19h12, Wednesday, 10 January, NSRI Gauteng duty crew were activated following a request, by SARZA Search and Rescue, to attend and assist the emergency services at the Jukskei River, in the vicinity of Jukseidrif Road, Vlakfontein, Centurion, where a local man was trapped on the river after his vehicle, that he was travelling in, was swept off a low lying bridge into the river.
The man had managed to escape the vehicle and he was trapped on a rock bed with fast flowing water around him.
The SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, SARZA Search and Rescue, ER24 ambulance services and GEMS (Gauteng Emergency Medical Services) were in attendance.
3 attempts were made to reach the casualty and in a 4th attempt NSRI swift water rescue swimmers reached the casualty securing him into a life-jacket.
Using safety ropes, anchor points, that had been established on the river bank, and throw lines, the man was waded to safety, in cooperation with NSRI swift water rescue swimmers and Police divers.
The man was assessed by paramedics and then transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a stable condition for further care and for observation for non-fatal drowning symptoms.
Arrangements will be made by the man to recover his vehicle.
The man recovered in hospital before being released.
The cooperation by all emergency services during these 2 operations is commended.
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