Coastal Rescues: Aircraft Lands Safely on Durban Beach, Rooi-Els Community Saves Couple at Sea

DURBAN: Lorenzo Taverna-Turisan, NSRI Durban coxswain, said:

At 11h16, Saturday, 29 March, ARCC (Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre) alerted on the ARCC early warning network of a light aircraft, with 2 males onboard, an instructor pilot, age 28 and a trainee pilot, age 18, flying a training flight from Pietermaritzburg to Virginia Airport, experiencing engine problems in the vicinity of Virginia Airport and appearing to be unable to make the runway.

Virginia ATC (Air Traffic Control) were monitoring and reported the pilot confirming that he would not make it to the runway and was looking to force land on the beach in the vicinity.

ARCC coordinated an emergency response.

The SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, NSRI Durban, eThekwini Fire and Rescue Services, Ensure Security, Netcare 911 ambulance services, ALS paramedics, SARZA (Search and Rescue South Africa) and Virginia ATC authorities responded.

Virginia ATC confirmed that the aircraft had landed on the beach in the vicinity of West of Virginia Beach and the Pilot confirmed that there were no injuries.

Gate access to the beach was being arranged.

An NSRI 4x4 rescue vehicle assisted to get NSRI rescue crew and Police Search and Rescue to the scene and SARZA 4x4 rescue vehicles assisted with further access to the aircraft in cooperation with Police and Fire and Rescue Services.

The aircraft was found safely on the beach but threatened by the incoming Spring high tide.

Emergency services attended at the scene where the aircraft was removed from the beach.

AIID (Accident and Incident Investigations Division) are investigating the incident.

The 2 pilots, shaken but in good spirits, were transported to Virginia Airport.

ARCC are commended for coordinating the emergency response and the swift response of all involved is commended.

The pilot has been commended for making the safe emergency landing.

ROOI-ELS:

Ryan Holmes, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:

At 10h07, Saturday, 29 March, NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated following reports from a local private boat and from NSRI coast watchers of a boat with 2 crew onboard, a husband and wife, from Gordons Bay, in difficulty offshore of Rooi-Els and threatening to run aground on the rocky shoreline.

NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were placed on alert.

At least 4 local boats, Good Samaritans, had gone to the assistance at the scene where the 2 casualty crew were rescued onto a private local boat that then attempted to tow the casualty boat away from the shoreline when the casualty boat capsized.

The skipper of the private boat that rescued the 2 casualties reported that they were heading towards Gordons Bay reporting injuries.

NSRI Kleinmond dispatched their NSRI rescue vehicle, towing their rescue craft JetRib, and an NSRI Gordons Bay rescue vehicle responded to the scene while the NSRI Gordons Bay rescue craft Spirit of Surfski was launched.

Our NSRI Gordons Bay rescue craft rendezvoused with the private Good Samaritan boat, at Rooi-Els, where the 2 casualties were transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft where medical treatment was commenced.

The casualty capsized boat was close to the shoreline and not able to be recovered.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) alerted WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an EMS ambulance was dispatched to NSRI Gordons Bay station 9 rescue base.

On arrival at the NSRI Gordons Bay rescue base the 2 casualties were attended to by EMS paramedics and following medical treatment they required no further assistance.

They were reunited with family members at the NSRI Gordons Bay rescue base.

The casualty boat remains adrift semi submerged capsized. An all ships alert navigational warning is being broadcast by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

The owner will make arrangements to recover the casualty boat.

The assistance of the local private boats that attended at the scene, contributing to saving the lives of the 2 casualties, is commended.