On Thursday 28 December the NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were conducting routine training and maintenance at the NSRI Gordons Bay Station 9 rescue base when they were alerted to a drowning in progress at Kogel Bay resort, in the surf line.
The City of Cape Town water rescue network was activated. Western Cape Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, GB Med Sec ambulance services, the police, City Law Enforcement, an NSRI Gordons Bay rescue vehicle and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services responded while three NSRI rescue craft – Spirit of Surfski 5, Spirit of Surfski and Boetie Woltemade, were launched.
The EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was dispatched by EMS Metro Control. The police’s Water Policing and Dive Services (WPDS) were placed on alert. City of Cape Town lifeguards, who were in the area at Dappat se Gat Beach, on duty, were activated and they responded to Kogel Bay resort.
On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue craft initiated a search in the surf line for a male reported to be missing in the surf line.
The man was located offshore, and he was recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft where CPR efforts commenced onboard the rescue craft.
The man was brought to shore where the City’s Fire and Rescue Services and lifeguards assisted NSRI with CPR and were joined by paramedics.
An landing zone was prepared for the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter that landed on the beach and the Skymed EMS paramedics joined in the CPR efforts.
After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly the man (41), believed to be from Strandfontein, was declared deceased by paramedics.
The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. Police have opened an inquest docket.
The NSRI extended its condolences to family and friends of the deceased man.
