NSRI volunteer duty crew in two areas of the Eastern Cape and two in the Western Cape were called out yesterday, 20 April to deal with emergencies such as evacuations of foreign nationals from boats plus for some false alarms with good intentions.
Port Elizabeth NSRI evacuated foreign sailors
A man running a high fever and a Vietnamese with a fractured arm were evacuated in two separate incidents yesterday by Port Elizabeth NSRI volunteers.
Justin Erasmus, NSRI Port Elizabeth deputy station commander, said at 8,30 am yesterday NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to rendezvous with the bulk carrier PATRIOT SW, sailing from Cameroon to Singapore, last Port of call Cape Town, reporting a Burmese crewman on board to be unconscious and running a fever.
“Accompanied by a Gaurdmed paramedic our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF TOFT rendezvoused with the ship in the shipping lanes and the patient was found to be in a critical condition suspected at first to be suffering from Yellow Fever.
“The patient, a 43 year old male from Myanmar, Burma, was transferred onto our sea rescue craft and brought to Port in Port Elizabeth and he has been transported to hospital by Gaurdmed ambulance where he is being treated for Malaria (not Yellow Fever as at first suspected) and he remains in a critical condition.”
“At noon yesterday NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched SPIRIT OF TOFT to rendezvous with the Far East fishing trawler STD No. 1 reporting a 32 year-old Vietnamese crewman on board suffering a fractured arm.
“We rendezvoused with the trawler 4.5 nautical miles off-shore of the Port Elizabeth Port’s breakwater and found the patient to have a crushed finger of the right hand (and not a fractured arm), the injury caused by unknown circumstances.
“The patient was walking wounded, in a stable and satisfactory condition, and he was taken aboard our sea rescue craft and brought to Port in Port Elizabeth where the ship’s agent met us and then transported the patient to hospital for further treatment. “The patient is in a stable and satisfactory condition.”
East London Paddler missing – false alarm with good intentions
Geoff McGregor, NSRI East London station commander, said: at 8 pm yesterday, NSRI East London volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports from a local man that his paddling buddy had gone missing after they were separated while paddling off-shore of Yellow Sands, North of East London.
“Our sea rescue vehicle was dispatched to investigate, in heavy rainfall, and during a brief search the man’s paddling buddy was found asleep in their vehicle.
“It appears that he had returned to the vehicle and fallen asleep after they were separated while paddling and when his fellow paddler returned to shore he raised the alarm, fearing his paddling buddy was lost at sea, not realising that his paddling buddy was actually already safe at their vehicle.”
Struisbaai boat in difficulty – false alarm with good intentions:
Danie Viljoen, NSRI Agulhas deputy station commander, said at 9.05 am yesterday, NSRI Agulhas volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a fishing boat suspected to be in difficulty approximately 4 nautical miles off-shore of Struisbaai.
“A boat could at times be seen in the vicinity but attempts to raise the boat by VHF radio failed and it was feared that they were in some sort of difficulty.
“Our NSRI Agulhas volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft VODACOM RESCUER VII and a search began but during a search no sign of the casualty boat could be found in the very rough seas.
“A boats trailer was found at the slip-way but no contact details or owners details were on the trailer. Police were asked to assist in getting the owners details from the number plate. Our sea rescue craft continued to search, in order for us to phone someone related to the boat so that we could determine if they were in trouble or overdue or to find out any information that can assist in determining the status.
“With the boat having now disappeared, despite our sea rescue craft searching for them in the vicinity of where they were last seen, and because of the rough seas, and fearing the worst, the Overberg Disaster Management volunteered to dispatch a fixed wing aircraft (normally used as a Fire spotter plane) to join in the search.
“Fortunately before the aircraft was airborne our NSRI sea rescue craft found the fishing boat at 11h00 but the fishermen told us that they were in no difficulty and that they were only fishing. They also confirmed that it was their trailer that was lying at the slip-way on-shore.
“SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) will investigate why the boat crew were not maintaining a listening watch on the VHF emergency radio frequency (a requirement of all boats at sea) and why they do not have contact details at their trailer (a requirement of all boats at sea launched from a trailer and leaving the trailer behind at the slip-way while at sea).”
West Coast unmanned life-raft found at sea:
Gerard Brune, NSRI Mykonos station commander, said at 5 pm yesterday NSRI Mykonos were informed that a life-raft, unmanned, was discovered floating at sea, 20 kms West of Langebaan, by a fishing boat.
“The fishing boat crew deflated the life-raft that will be brought to our sea rescue base at Mykonos. The life-raft, a 16 man life-raft, bears the name (spelling not confirmed) Costa Lacenta, Esta Balsa Esta, Dalrives, expiry date 7th month 2017, and last serviced in August last year.
“Telkom Maritime Radio Services have been informed and attempts will be made to track down the owners to return the life-raft. “It is not suspected that the owner vessel is in any danger and it is strongly suspected that the life-raft may have fallen overboard in rough seas.”
(edited)
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