Busy rescue weekend for NSRI Port Edward and NSRI Gqeberha

A busy weekend for our crews in Port Edward who rescued two swimmers, and Gqeberha assisted paddlers and kiteboarders.

NSRI STN 32 PORT EDWARD:

Gert du Plessis, NSRI Port Edward station commander, said:

Friday, 19 January, at 15h16, NSRI Port Edward duty crew were activated following reports from Simunye Surf Lifesaving lifeguards of 2 swimmers in difficulty in the surf line at Silver Beach, Port edward.

Simunye lifeguards had launched into the surf to assist.

NSRI Port Edward dispatched our NSRI quad bike and NSRI rescue vehicle, with NSRI rescue swimmers, and launched our NSRI rescue JetRib.

Med-Evac ambulance services, the SA Police Services and Police Search and Rescue responded.

On NSRI arriving on the scene lifeguards had rescued one swimmer, a 20 year old man, from the water and he was not injured.

3 lifeguards in the surf line, assisting the second swimmer, a 20 year old man, were about 150 meters to 200 meters off-shore.

Both men are students, from Pretoria.

Our NSRI JetRib reached them in the breaking surf line and the casualty was rescued onto our rescue craft and one lifeguard was recovered from the water.

They were brought to shore where that casualty, showing signs and symptoms of non-fatal drowning, was taken into the care of Med-Evac paramedics.

Our NSRI JetRib was relaunched, we reached the 2 lifeguards and recovered them onto the rescue craft, and they were brought to shore.

The patient was transported to hospital by Med-Evac ambulance in a stable condition.

He was released from hospital after receiving medical care, and observation for non-fatal drowning symptoms.

The swift response from all involved, and the quick reaction of the lifeguards, is commended.

NSRI STN 6 GQEBERHA:

Patrick Brown, NSRI Gqeberha duty coxswain, said:

At 16h00, Sunday, 21 January, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew and Coastal Water Rescue (CWR) and EC Government Health EMS were activated following reports from the NMBM (Nelson Mandela Bay) WERC (water emergency rescue committee) of a kite-boarder reported by an eyewitness to be in difficulty at Sardinia Bay beach.

Our NSRI rescue vehicle, towing our NSRI rescue craft JetRib, responded to Noordhoek to prepare to launch.

An unidentified kite-boarder had launched his kite-board into the surf to attempt to assist the casualty who was approximately 300 meters off-shore with kite down in the water and drifting towards a rocky outcrop.

The fellow kite-boarder appeared to tow the casualty closer to the shore.

NMBM (Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Municipal) lifeguards, NSRI Gqeberha rescue swimmers and CWR rescue swimmers entered the water and reached the casualty at a sand bank.

The casualty and his kite-board and gear were recovered to the shoreline.

The kite-boarder, who had assisted, was swept a few kilometers down the shoreline, across The Sacramento Trail.

Once ashore he had walked back towards Sardinia Bay Beach where he was met by NSRI, CWR and lifeguards and he was confirmed to not be injured.

The initial kite-boarder, a local man, believed to be aged in his 50's, was also not injured.

Both kite-boarders have vowed to download and in future use the NSRI SafeTrx smart phone application.

The eyewitness is commended for raising the alarm.

The swift response by all involved is commended.

Earlier in the day, during a morning routine training operation, an NSRI Gqeberha rescue craft, patrolling the Gqeberha coastline, intercepted a marine VHF radio call requesting NSRI to assist some men, on sea kayaks, off-shore of Hobie Beach.

They had appeared to get into some difficulties.

Our NSRI rescue craft, Rescue 6 Alpha, located the 3 sea kayaks, with 3 men and a lady, and recovered them from the water, delivering them closer to Hobie Beach where they able to get to shore without further assistance.

They were met by lifeguards as they came ashore and they required no further assistance.