At 14h04, Thursday, 13 June, NSRI Table Bay, NSRI Bakoven and the CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network were activated following eyewitness reports of a boat capsized at the back breakers surf zone, between Saunders Rocks and Queens Beach, Bantry Bay.
NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Table Bay rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services (SAPS), WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, Netcare 911 ambulance services, ER24 ambulance services, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and CoCT Law Enforcement responded.
The NSRI Table Bay rescue craft Spirit of Day was launched.
SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were placed on alert.
EMS Metro Control activated the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, accompanied by an EMS Metro rescue diver.
It remained unknown the number of people that were on the boat when the open fishing ski-boat capsized.
Bystanders had deployed NSRI pink rescue buoys into the surf where we believe at least 2 casualties may have reached pink rescue buoys, using them to stay afloat.
NSRI rescue swimmers, arriving on the scene first, entered the water where they reached a male, believed to be aged in his 20’s, and they reached a male believed to be aged in his 60’s – both offshore of Queens Beach.
The rescue swimmer brought the younger man to shore where he was treated by paramedics for hypothermia and non-fatal drowning symptoms and he was transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition where he is recovering.
The second casualty, who was unresponsive in the water, was assisted to stay afloat by the rescue swimmer and he was then rescued onto the NSRI rescue craft. The man remained unresponsive, medical treatment was commenced. He was brought to the Three Anchor slipway where paramedics continued with CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts.
It was confirmed that three men had been on the boat when the boat capsized. One man remained missing.
The casualty boat washed ashore in amongst rocks near to Queens Beach.
Sea Point Police patrol officers reached the boat, that was smashed in amongst the rocky shoreline, where Police officers were able to investigate to determine that there were no person trapped in the wreck.
The NSRI rescue craft was dispatched from Three Anchor Bay to return to the scene to assist Skymed, that was conducting the aerial search, the NSRI rescue swimmers, who were searching in the water, and the emergency services, who were conducting shoreline search efforts.
During an extensive air, sea and shoreline search the missing man was located in the surf zone by the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter.
The EMS Metro rescue diver was deployed into the water from the helicopter. He secured the man, who was unresponsive.
The helicopter static line hoisted both the casualty man and the Metro rescue diver to the parking area at Queens Beach where paramedics commenced CPR efforts on the man (believed to be aged in his 60’s).
At Three Anchor Bay, after extensive CPR efforts by paramedics were exhausted, on the man rescued to Three Anchor Bay aboard the NSRI rescue craft , sadly he was declared deceased.
At Queens Beach, after extensive CPR efforts by paramedics were exhausted, on the man rescued to the shore by the Skymed rescue helicopter, sadly he was declared deceased.
The bodies of the 2 deceased men were taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
It appears that the three men, believed to be from Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs, reportedly well known to the fishing, boating and maritime communities, had launched earlier at Three Anchor Bay to go fishing.
It appears that they may have been fishing offshore of Bantry Bay when their boat was capsized by a wave.
NSRI commend the eyewitnesses that raised the alarm and the many public bystanders who aided the rescuers at Queens Beach and at Three Anchor Bay during this tragic, sad incident.
Efforts to assist family members remain in progress.
Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the 2 deceased men.
An Inquest docket has been opened by Police.
Serendipity
Fun South African Fact: Mandela’s house on Vilakazi Street is now a museum. The man who the street was named after, Dr BW Vilakazi, was a poet, novelist and intellectual. He helped develop the written form of both isiZulu and siSwati and helped put together the isiZulu dictionary.
Bit Sentinel
Chow – to eat / food. Often used when talking about food, this term can be used as a verb, meaning to eat, or when talking about the food itself.Example: “Let’s chow my bru!” / “This chow is spicy!”
Flame OUT
Fun South African Fact: South Africa is known as the “Rainbow Nation” thanks to its mix of cultures across the country. The status of being a cultural “melting pot” is evident in the fact that South Africa has a whopping 11 official languages: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, IsiNdebele, Sesotho, Northern Sotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga. Most South Africans speak more than one national language. IsiZulu is the most common first language and isiXhosa is second. Fun fact – did you know the people of Wakanda speak isiXhosa in Marvel’s Black Panther movie?