The NSRI stations at Hout Bay, Muizenberg and Richards Bay were involved in sea rescue operations yesterday (8 December 2012) that involved a boat with three men on board swamped by water, a sighting of a body and another body missing then found in the respective areas.
Hout Bay:
NSRI Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew assisted three men on their boat after they launched a distress flare yesterday.
Several eye-witnesses noticed the red distress flare off-shore near The Sentinel, Karbonkelberg, Hout Bay.
Lyall Pringle, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said NSRI Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Albie Matthews and responded. It was found that a small rigid, inflatable boat returning from fishing suffered damage to its hull and appeared to subsequently have its pontoons separated from the boats hull. This caused three men on board, all adults from Hout Bay, to be swamped by water on their boat and they fired off a red distress flare to raise the alarm.
A local charter boat, Nuticat, in the area responded to assist and rescued all three men onto that boat while another private fishing boat, Great White, which had also responded, took the damaged casualty boat under tow.
Nauticat took all three uninjured men safely to Hout Bay harbour. The NSRI sea rescue craft took over the towing and towed the casualty boat to the harbour where it was recovered.
The cause of the bow suffering damage and the pontoons separating from the casualty boats hull is not known. It is suspected that this may have been caused by a wave breaking over the hull.
The skippers and crews of Nauticat and Great White are commended for their swift action.
Muizenberg:
NSRI Simonstown volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated at 5.30 pm yesterday following reports of a body floating near Surfer’s’ Corner.
The NSRI were unable to locate the body so an SAP dive unit will search in the area today.
There are no reports of anyone missing who can be linked to this incident.
Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said shark spotters on Boyes Drive, Muizenberg, believed they saw a body floating in the water off-shore of between Bailey’s Cottage and Muizenberg’s Surfers Corner. Lifeguards confirmed that a body was seen floating in the water off-shore
NSRI Simonstown launched sea rescue craft and an NSRI rescue vehicle and NSRI Strandfontein dispatched a rescue vehicle, while Western Province Lifesaving lifeguards, Law Enforcement, Police and Police divers responded to the scene.
Although the body could no longer be seen NSRI marked the suspected location using a floatation buoy. A Police Dive Unit will attempt to locate and recover a body today.
Some witnesses also yesterday claim to have seen an adult male sitting on a bench nearby prior to the body being sited. It is unknown if dentures, sunglasses and a hat, found lying on that bench could be perhaps belong to the man. The SAP have taken over enquiries into this case.
Richards Bay:
At 6.20 pm yesterday NSRI Richards Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew assisted in the search of a 40 year-old man missing in the surf yesterday.
He and a female friend two had been swimming together towards Pelican Island when they got into difficulty in the water. She was rescued but the man’s body was later found by police divers.
Cornel du Toit, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, said that NSRI Richards Bay volunteers were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at the community swimming area inside of the Richards Bay Port, the Bay Hall area.
The NSRI sea rescue craft, the SAP and Buhbesi private ambulance service responded.
On arrival on scene a female, aged about 20, was found ashore. She had reportedly been rescued from the water by bystanders. A man, aged about 40, remained missing.
Paramedics resuscitated the girl on-scene and she was then transported to hospital by ambulance in a critical condition. A full scale search commenced for the missing male and after no sign of the man could be found a Police Dive Unit was activated.
During a dive search Police divers located and recovered the body of the man. His body was handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.
The names of the injured female and deceased man have not yet been released by Police. It is unknown what may have caused the pair to get into difficulties. Police have opened an inquest docket.
(edited)
All articles edited or written, all photos taken plus all adverts designed by the Editor and printed in the St Francis Chronicle are protected by the law of Copyright ©. Reproduction or copying of any part of the contents of this newspaper and its concept and design can only be done with the Editor’s written permission.
