CAPE TOWN – As visitors continue to flock to beaches across the country, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has had their hands full this festive season.
Strong winds and busy coastlines kept NSRI Simon’s Town crews busy over the Christmas weekend, with a series of dramatic sea rescues along the False Bay coastline on 26 and 27 December.
On Friday, 26 December, NSRI Simon’s Town was called into action after reports that two men on a small inflatable craft were being blown out to sea off Millers Point tidal pool. Multiple eyewitnesses, including motorists travelling along the coastal road, alerted authorities after seeing the men drifting further offshore in strong south-easterly winds.
The NSRI rescue craft Jack & Irene, which was conducting routine training at the time, diverted to the scene and located the men approximately half a nautical mile offshore near Murdoch Valley. The two men, aged 35 and 39 and from Mitchells Plain, had launched earlier to go fishing on what appeared to be a supermarket-bought inflatable craft. They were unable to row back to shore against the wind and were rescued without injury. Both were reunited with their families, and no further medical treatment was required.
Stranded surf-skier rescued
The following day, Saturday, 27 December, NSRI Simon’s Town responded to multiple emergencies within a matter of hours.
At 09:40, the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre received a SafeTRX emergency activation indicating a surf-skier in distress between Roman Rock Lighthouse and Fish Hoek. Rescue craft were launched from Simon’s Town and Fish Hoek, and a search was initiated using GPS coordinates provided by the SafeTRX app.
A rescue craft located an adult male floating in the water and brought him safely ashore at Fish Hoek Beach. It was later established that the man, from Durban, had fallen off his surf-ski after his leash snapped, leaving him separated from his craft. A female surf-skier who encountered him activated her SafeTRX alert, raising the alarm. He was assessed by paramedics and found to be uninjured. His surf-ski remains missing at sea. The NSRI commended the woman for her swift action.
Later that afternoon, at 12:43, NSRI Simon’s Town and Cape Medical Response were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Millers Point Beach. City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services arrived first on the scene and confirmed that two young girls, aged five and eight, were out of the water.
The children were treated on scene for non-fatal drowning symptoms before being transported to hospital in stable condition. They are expected to make full recoveries. The incident is believed to have occurred after the children were floating on a small lilo that may have deflated. Family members and bystanders rushed to assist, with three Good Samaritans rescuing the children and initiating CPR on the younger child before paramedics arrived.
The NSRI praised the efforts of the bystanders and again urged beachgoers to exercise caution, particularly during periods of strong winds and busy holiday conditions, and to avoid using inflatable craft in open water.
Teenager disappears at sea
Meanwhile, search and rescue efforts are continuing at a beach in Mbonombi, Richards Bay for a 16-year-old boy who had gone missing in the water after reportedly appearing to be caught in rip currents while swimming.
According to Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, their duty crew were activated on Friday (26 December) at 15:11 following reports of a drowning in progress at a beach. Both NSRI and the police responded to the call. Despite an extensive search, NSRI says, there remains no signs of the missing teenager. They confirmed in a press statement that Police Search and Rescue are continuing in ongoing search efforts.
