Multiple National Incidents

PEARLY BEACH: Jean le Roux, NSRI Hermanus coxswain, said: At 18h07, Thursday, 3 April, NSRI Hermanus, NSRI Agulhas, the SA Police Services and a WC Government Health EMS rescue squad responded to Castle Beach at Pearly Beach following reports of a suspected drowning in progress.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a man, with a bald head or with light hair, suspected to may have been in difficulty or who appeared to be too deep in the water and then they (eyewitnesses reportedly) could no longer see the man.

NSRI rescue vehicles from NSRI Hermanus and from NSRI Agulhas, towing NSRI rescue craft, NSRI rescue swimmers, Police and a Metro Rescue squad responded.

Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were alerted.

2 NSRI rescue craft launched to search in and beyond the surf zone and shoreline search efforts were conducted at Castle Beach and beyond.

Eyewitnesses had already left the scene when rescue services arrived.

Despite an extensive search no signs of the man suspected to have gone missing in the water was located.

There remains no missing persons report opened that may be related to this case.

Gansbaai Police Station are monitoring and at this stage there is no new information to go on.

PORT ALFRED:

Kerryn van der Walt, NSRI Port Alfred duty coxswain, said:

At 15h37, Thursday, 3 April, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated by Multi Security following reports from a Multi Security beach marshal of a person in trouble in the water at East Beach, near to the East Beach Pier.

The NSRI Port Alfred rescue craft, Rescue 11 Alpha, was launched while the NSRI Port Alfred rescue vehicle, NSRI rescue swimmers and Multi Security responded.

On arrival on the scene a 13 year old male was found safely on the beach. He had been surfing when, it appears, he may have collided with East Beach Pier before being assisted from the water by the Multi Security beach marshal and by a bystander Good Samaritan.

With only minor scrapes and bruises the teenager was released into the care of his parents, who we believe are both doctors.

No further assistance was required.

No other incidents were reported in the area of Port Alfred on Thursday.

WEST COAST:

NSRI are appealing to the maritime community - between Cape Town and Langebaan - to keep a sharp lookout for a man who is missing - last known to be in the water somewhere offshore in the vicinity between Koeberg and Grotto Bay.

48 year old David van der Merwe, a local white male, was reported to be in distress offshore of Melkbosstrand on Wednesday, 2 April, late afternoon.

NSRI Melkbosstrand, BBSL (Big Bay Surf Lifeguards), WC Government Health EMS rescue squad drone unit, the SA Police Services, an AGA helicopter (Aerios Global Aviation) dispatched by MRCC - Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, and West Coast coast watchers, conducted extensive search efforts until after midnight but no signs of the missing man were found.

NSRI Table Bay, NSRI Yzerfontein, NSRI Mykonos, Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services), Police Sea Borderline Control, CoCT (City of Cape Town) Law Enforcement and DFFE (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment) are informed. An all ships alert was posted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

We are appealing to the maritime community along the West Coast to keep a sharp lookout.

Thoughts are with the family of the missing man in this difficult time.