Brad Geyser, Sea Rescue Hout Bay station commander, said: “On Friday, 13 August at 17h15 Sea Rescue Hout Bay volunteers were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following reports of a drowning in progress between Duiker Island and The Sentinel in the Karbonkelberg vicinity of Hout Bay.

Our sea rescue Hout Bay volunteers launched our rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews and sea rescue Kommetjie volunteers launched their rescue craft Rotary Winelands and the SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services and local Community Security responded.

On arrival on-scene a search commenced for a 19 year old male reported to have disappeared in the surf near to rocks near to the shoreline.

It appears that the man, a local from Hout Bay, may have either been fishing (angling) or free diving near to the rocks when he reportedly got into difficulties in the water and the friends he was with at the time claimed that he had disappeared in the surf.

A sea and shore search well into the night revealed no sign of the man and this morning (14/08) at first light sea rescue Hout Bay launched two rescue craft and the Police Dive Unit launched their rigid inflatable boat to resume the search and during the search the body of the man was located and recovered from in between rocks on the shoreline and the body was brought to the sea rescue Hout Bay base and handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.

Trauma counselling has been initiated for the family of the deceased man by the SA Police Services.

Police have opened an inquest docket.

Shane Kempen, Sea Rescue Agulhas station commander, said: “On Saturday 17 July 2010 at 09h16 our Agulhas Sea Rescue volunteers were activated following a request for urgent medical assistance from the Hout Bay registered chokka fishing boat, Miniqua, reporting one of their crew suffering continuous epileptic seizures.

The vessel was lying just off Struisbaai harbour in calm sea conditions.

We believe that the crewman, aged approximately 50, had not taken his epilepsy tablets with him to sea and the vessel had been at sea for 21 days. While he had suffered seizures during the 21 day voyage the seizures intensity and frequency was increasing and when the skipper requested medical assistance the crewman had lapsed into continuous seizures and hence the request for urgent medical assistance.

Our Agulhas sea rescue volunteers  launched our sea rescue craft I&J Rescuer II and the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services and paramedics from the Bredasdorp Fire and Rescue Services were activated.

On our arrival on-scene our sea rescue medics stabilized the patient and he was then transferred onto our rescue craft and brought to our sea rescue base where we were met by the Fire and Rescue paramedics and the Metro ambulance.

The patient was stabilized further at our sea rescue base before being transported to hospital by Metro ambulance in a stable but serious condition.

We believe that the patient is recovering well in hospital.”

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said: “NSRI Hout Bay were activated on Saturday 3 April at 17h18 following a request for assistance from the local yacht Roly Poly reporting engine and electric failure outside the harbour entrance and requiring a tow into the harbour.

“Owner and skipper Nigel Allsop and his 3 crewmen, one of whom is trainee NSRI Hout Bay volunteer Amri Liebenberg, had put the yacht to anchor just outside of the harbour entrance in 25 knot winds after total motor and electric failure forced them to abandon plans of trying to enter the harbour under her own power.

“Our NSRI duty crew launched our rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews and on arrival on-scene a tow-line was rigged and the yacht was towed to her berth.

“Our NSRI duty crew then returned to the scene to recover the yachts anchor and anchor chain which had been abandoned by the yacht during the operation and once recovered they were returned to the owner.

“There were no injuries during the successful operation.”

On Friday 2 April at approximately 14h55 the NSRI were informed by a local newspaper that they had received a report of a small aeroplane crashed into the sea in Hout Bay.

On investigation it was determined that a Micro-Light aircraft had gone into the surf near Dunes Restaurant but the pilot had been rescued by an unidentified rubber-duck and the Micro-Light had been recovered by bystanders and no further assistance was required.

The pilot, who was not injured, refused to give details of the accident or his name to the NSRI.

An Emergency Services control room had, at the same time, been called with a similar report except the caller had enquired if the Emergency Services were aware of a Boeing 747 that had reportedly crashed into the surf at Hout Bay! This enquiry was obviously related to the same incident, said Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, and no further action was necessary.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said: “On Monday 22 March at 18h28 NSRI Hout Bay were activated to go to the assistance of the 45 foot sailing yacht Piri Reis reporting to have total electronic failure off-shore of Mauri Bay (near Llandudno) with local Hout Bay skipper Sam Leggat and one female crew and struggling in the gusting to 50 knot South Easterly winds.

“NSRI Hout Bay launched our rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer and on arrival on-scene, 6 nautical miles off the coast, NSRI crew were transferred onto the yacht to assist and a tow-line was rigged and the yacht was towed safely to Hout Bay harbour.

“The yacht had left her anchor at Clifton to sail to Hout Bay but after experiencing electronic failure they had gotten into difficulty in the strong South Easterly and requested assistance.”

The NSRI has raised of great concern the problem of no navigational lights at the entrance to Hout Bay harbour and lighting, that is supposed to be positioned to light up the harbour wall, is also no longer in place.

The problem of limited navigational lighting at the entrance to the harbour and of limited lighting inside the harbour is apparently the result of cable theft.

In another incident this week a German yacht, sailing from Dusseldorf, Germany, missed the harbour entrance and almost ran aground on Hout Bay beach as there were no navigational lights to guide the yacht into the harbour.

During last nights rescue, with storm sea conditions and a moon obscured by cloudy conditions, the rescue craft was forced to use spotlights to get into the harbour while towing the casualty yacht as there is no navigational lighting reference to guide vessels through the harbour entrance and on a number of occasions the rescue was hampered and jeopardised by the lack of sufficient lighting in Hout Bay harbour.

On Tuesday 16 March at 13h42 NSRI Simonstown were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a report of a surf-skier suspected to be in difficulty off-shore of Simonstown (between Simonstown harbour and Seaforth Restaurant).

Eye-witnesses were observing the surf-skier who appeared to be in difficulty approximately half a mile off-shore in gusting 30 knot South Easterly winds. The surf-skier was first observed lying down on his surf-ski and then being tipped off into the water.

NSRI Simonstown launched their rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III, a Navy harbour patrol and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter responded to assist.

Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said that on arrival on-scene the surf-skier, 45 year old Justin Smit, from Simonstown, had abandoned his surf-ski and had swum ashore where he was assisted by Table Mountain National Park rangers to get ashore on rocks and he was treated for hypothermia by NSRI paramedics and released requiring no further assistance.

The surf-ski was recovered by the Navy Harbour Patrol boat off-shore of Glencairn.

The NSRI are appealing to surf-skiers and paddlers to carry the required safety equipment including a life-jacket, red distress flares, communications devices (a cell-phone or VHF radio) kept in water tight sleeves, a signalling mirror or CD disc and a referees whistle.

In another incident at 21h00 NSRI Hout Bay were activated following eye-witness reports of a yacht appearing to be in difficulty in the bay off-shore of Hout Bay beach.

NSRI Hout Bay launched their rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews and as the rescue boats were launching a Mayday distress emergency call was put out by the yacht which was now only 200 metres off the beach and being blown towards the beach quickly in gusting 45 knot winds.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said that on arrival on-scene, in extremely difficult conditions, with the yacht now 20 metres off the beach, during low-tide, with less than 2 metres of water under the yacht’s hull, a tow-line was rigged and the yacht was pulled to deeper water and towed into the harbour.

The yacht, Iron Lady, registered to Dusseldorf, Germany, sailing from Germany to Cape Town, with skipper Michael Wnuk and 3 crewmembers, 2 males and a female, had arrived in Cape Town and got into difficulty in the strong winds while heading into Hout Bay.

Once safely berthed she required no further assistance.

At 18h06 NSRI Hout Bay, the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter were activated following reports of a man fallen from the main view point at Chapman’s Peak Drive.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said that on arrival on-scene it was determined that a man had allegedly fallen from the mountain and it is believed that his female partner, who was with him at the time, had attempted to go to his aid but it appears that she had gotten into difficulty herself and she became trapped on a ledge with some injuries.

Brad said that two NSRI rescue craft had searched for the man in the sea and during the search the body of the man was recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft and taken to the NSRI Hout Bay rescue base and handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.

The female was rescued by a Metro Rescue team using high angle equipment and she has been treated for minor injuries.

Police have opened an inquest docket into the death of the man.

During the rescue operation a “Hout Bay Surf Rescue” crew launched their rescue rubber-duck to respond to this operation but they capsized and were rescued by the NSRI. Brad said that the NSRI rescue craft towed the capsized craft to Hout Bay harbour. Neither of the two “Hout Bay Surf Rescue” crewmen were injured.

At 23h40 NSRI Hout Bay was activated following reports from the Maritime Radio Services of a yacht run onto rocks near to “Fish on the Rocks”.

Brad Geyser said that prior to launching the NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue craft it was confirmed that the crew aboard yacht Margarite Anne had freed themselves from a rocky reef and had motored into Hout Bay unassisted.

Melkbosstrand:

At 15h23 NSRI Melkbosstrand responded to “Slabberts se Klippe”, half a kilometre from the NSRI Melkbosstrand rescue base, following reports of two men on a rubber duck firing off distress flares.

Rhine Barnes, NSRI Melkbosstrand station commander, said that on arrival on-scene the two men, Pierre van Niewenhuizen, 36, and Tinus Pretorius, 26, both from Durbanville, were found safe on the beach after a local kite-boarder had assisted to tow them ashore.

The two men had experienced engine failure on their rubber-duck approximately 500 metres off-shore and had fired the distress flares when a kite-boarder came to their assistance and assisted them ashore.

Rhine said that the NSRI duty crew loaded their boat onto an NSRI boat trailer and brought their boat to the NSRI rescue base where they required no further assistance.

Gordon’s Bay:

At 09h25 NSRI Gordon’s Bay, the SA Police Services, the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter responded to Pringle Bay following reports of a dinghy boat being blown out to sea in a 25 knot off-shore wind with three young men on-board.

Stuart Burgess, NSRI Gordon’s Bay deputy station commander said that the rescue helicopter arrived on-scene first and found the three men clinging onto their sinking 3 metre fibreglass dinghy. They had only a pair of oars and no life-jackets on-board.

The rescue helicopter hovered above the men, who were now already 2 nautical miles off-shore, to mark their position for the responding NSRI rescue craft that was nearing the scene but suddenly the boat they were on capsized and semi-sunk so a rescue swimmer was deployed into the water from the rescue helicopter to secure the 3 men and to ensure their safety and when the rescue craft arrived all 3 men were rescued onto the rescue craft and brought to the NSRI rescue base in Gordon’s Bay where they were reunited with their families.

All 3 men, Byron Jansen, 20, Lezaan Pietersen, 22, Akiam Abrahams, 15, all from New Tafelsig, were treated for hypothermia and released requiring no further assistance.

Stuart said that it was especially noted that during the operation the NSRI rescue vehicle, carrying two NSRI rescue swimmers, which had responded to the land side of Pringle Bay, had acted as a communications relay to the responding helicopter and NSRI rescue boat providing essential information to the responding rescue resources that played a major role in this successful rescue operation.

On 11 August 2009 at 15h38 the NSRI Hout Bay duty crew and NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were activated following a report of 33 year old Cape Town surfer, Rynard Fourie, missing in the surf during big wave surfing taking place at the popular surf spot Dungeons, near to Hout Bay, in 7 metre swells.

NSRI Hout Bay launched their rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews and NSRI Kommetjie launched their rescue craft Spirit of Rotary Winelands and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter was activated.

It was confirmed that the stand-by safety boats, which stand-by on the scene at Dungeons during big wave surfing, had initiated a search. The stand-by safety command boat Whale Song and her two fellow stand-by boats Calypso, Asis and 6 jet-ski’s, which are used to pull big wave surfers to assist them to catch waves, searched the area and found the surfer approximately half a nautical mile from where he had initially dissapeared. The local boat Lunatic, which was on the scene observing the big wave surfing, had also joined in and assisted in the search.

The surfer was found safely briefly after going missing and it appears he had dissapeared while being pulled to catch a wave but after taking a tumble the spotters had lost sight of him and he had drifted away in currents until being found.

NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue craft Albie Matthews arrived on-scene and confirmed that the surfer had been found and was safe aboard the boat Whale Song and that he was not injured and required no further assistance.

The NSRI’s remaining responding resources were stood-down to return to base and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter was stood-down to return to base.

It is standard procedure for the NSRI to be activated in the event of an emergency and standard protocol during this big wave surfing at Dungeons.

Bloubergstrand and Kommetjie – Bulk Carriers swept close to shore:

On Tuesday afternoon at 13h50 NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Melkbosstrand were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority after the bulk carrier Doce River dragged anchor and drifted close to shore, off Bloubergstrand, before getting her engines started and moving out to deeper waters and out of harms way.

On Monday evening NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority after the bulk carrier Kiran was swept towards shore in approximately 8 metre swells, off Slangkop Lighthouse, following engine failure, before the salvage vessel Smit Amandla towed the bulk carrier out to sea and to the safety of deeper water.

Struisbaai – Skipper of trawler casualty evacuated:

At 15h31 on Tuesday afternoon NSRI Agulhas responded aboard their rescue craft to 2 nautical miles off-shore of Struis Baai where the skipper of the Long Line Fishing Trawler Golden Eagle had sustained head and facial injuries after a steel door reportedly slammed shut in high winds hitting the skipper on the head.

Shane Kempen, NSRI Agulhas station commander said that the skipper, Loeries Noonies, 45, was brought ashore abourd the NSRI rescue craft and transported to a local doctor for sutures to a laceration to the head, lacerations to both eye-orbits and treatment for a fractured cheek bone.

Hout Bay – Search for a suspected missing man:

At 16h11 on Tuesday afternoon NSRI Hout Bay were activated following eye-witnesses reports of a man suspected of being swept off a Crayfish Bakkie (small open boat) drifting in the bay off Hout Bay near to Fish on the Rocks.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said that a full-scale search, including two NSRI rescue craft, the SA Police Services, the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, Hout Bay Surf Lifesaving and the Police Dive Unit, in 7 metre swells, revealed no sign of anyone in any difficulty. The crayfish bakkie was found adrift at sea and has washed ashore on the opposite side of the bay but the crayfish bakkie was upright (it had not capsized) and we suspect it had been swept out to sea after the Spring Tides high tide swept it from its mooring on the shoreline.

Brad said that some other eye-witnesses had claimed that they had seen the crayfish bakkie being swept out to sea with no one on-board.

Brad said that the situation continues to be monitored but no one has yet come forward to confirm that a person is missing.

Gordon’s Bay – Jetty swept away:

At 06h50 on Wednesday morning NSRI Gordon’s Bay launched both NSRI rescue craft to assist to recover a jetty swept away by big swells during the early morning Spring High Tide.

Mark Burton, NSRI Gordon’s Bay station commander, said that the jetty was recovered and will be repaired.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said: “On the 18th March 2009 at 16h24 NSRI Hout Bay, NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Simonstown were activated following a distress VHF radio message, intercepted by Maritime Radio Services, from the 16 metre fishing trawler Amber Rose reporting to be taking water 20 nautical miles South of Cape Point with a crew of 12 on-board in 1.5 metre swells and a 20 knot South Easterly wind.

NSRI Hout Bay launched MTU Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews and NSRI Simonstown launched Spirit of Safmarine III, all carrying water pumps to be taken to the trawler. NSRI Kommetjie launched Spirit of Winelands to rendezvous with NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue craft as they sailed passed Kommetjie to deliver a third water pump to be taken out to the casualty vessel.

Fishing trawlers and private boats that were in the area at the time responded to the distress call.
The private boat Free Spirit, a Simonstown craft, arrived on-scene first and transferred her water pump on-board to assist with extricating water from the casualty craft and she stood by on-scene to take crew of the casualty vessel over (if necessary) pending the arrival of the NSRI rescue craft.

Fearing that the casualty vessel may overflow with water and in case the crew needed to abandon ship the Transnet National Ports Authority placed an SA Air Force 35 Squadron Dakota fixed wing aircraft on alert to deliver and drop (at the casualty vessel) extra life-rafts if necessary. All rescue craft arrived on-scene in time to prevent the call to abandon ship!

On arrival on-scene NSRI rescuers were put aboard the trawler and the extra water pumps delivered by the NSRI were set in motion. An NSRI Engineer assessed the damage which appears to be a gaping hole in the port side behind midships. What caused the damage will form part of an investigation by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

The trawler was initially able to be escorted under her own engine power towards the closest harbour, Hout Bay, but during the escort she suffered mechanical failure and the vessel was taken under tow by our rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer.

NSRI Kommetjie launched Spirit of Winelands again at 21h26 to respond to assist NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue craft to bring the casualty vessel to mooring in Hout Bay harbour.

The casualty vessel was able to steer to a mooring under her own power once in the shelter of Hout Bay harbour and was safely moored at 22h50.
No injuries to any of her crew were sustained.
The casualty vessel will be kept afloat during the night with the use of water pumps and the owners are arranging salvage efforts to prevent the inflow of water and to begin repairs.”

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said: “On the 2nd of March at 13h20 NSRI Hout Bay were activated to respond to rendezvous with the fishing trawler Southwest Sea Hawk, reporting their skipper, Gabriel Fernandez, 40, from Bothasig in Cape Town, bitten by a shark on-board the trawler 30 nautical miles off-shore of Hout Bay while fishing.

The Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services were activated and a Metro ambulance was dispatched to stand-by at NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue base.

It appears that a Blue shark had been caught unintentionally in the trawlers fishing long-line and the shark had been hauled aboard the trawler when the crew recovered the long-line while long-line fishing for Tunny Fish.

The skipper attempted to free the shark from the long-line in an effort to release the shark back to the sea but he was bitten, by the shark, on the right hand, causing puncture wounds to two fingers on the right hand and a 6 cm laceration (tear) to the right wrist.

The vessel immediately called for medical assistance and after setting the shark free headed in the direction of Hout Bay harbour.

NSRI hout Bay launched our rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer and rendezvoused with the trawler 16 nautical miles off-shore of Hout Bay.

A relief skipper was provided by the trawlers owners and the relief skipper accompanied the rescue operation to take over the helm of the trawler on arrival on-scene.

NSRI medics were put aboard the trawler to stabilize the patient who was found in a stable and satisfactory condition.

The Skipper had self administered bandages and a tourniquet which was used to slow the bleeding and the skipper, correctly, released tension on the tourniquet at intervals to prevent further damage to his arm.

He was treated by the NSRI medics and transferred aboard our rescue craft and brought to our NSRI rescue base in Hout Bay harbour and transported to hospital by a Metro Ambulance in a stable condition.

The skipper was in good spirits throughout the rescue operation and told our rescue crew that 5 minutes prior to this incident he had been explaining to his crew what and how they should treat a situation where a shark is unintentionally caught by their fishing lines.

Mr. Fernandez admitted that he didn’t follow his own advice although the NSRI have not determined exactly what his advice was or how he handled the matter (of releasing the shark) which caused him to be bitten on the fingers and arm.

The size of the shark was also not divulged to the NSRI during the rescue operation.”

At 14h14 today NSRI Hout Bay were activated by the National Ports Authority following a request for assistance from Suzette van Vuuren, 50, from Cullinan, Pretoria, reporting to be suffering exhaustion and in need of assistance on a hiking trail between Hout Bay and Llandudno, but not sure of her exact location.

NSRI Hout Bay launched their rescue craft Albie Matthews while an NSRI rescue team headed to the scene by road preparing to hike in the direction of where Suzette thought she was to search for her.

WSAR (Wilderness search and Rescue), the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter were also activated and a search commenced while the rescue commander stayed in contact with Suzette on her cell-phone to assist to guide the rescue teams to her location.

Suzette was found by the crew aboard the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter on a hiking trail at Oude Skip, Maori Bay, near to the Boss 400 Crane barge wreck, and a paramedic was put down by the helicopter near to her location and he found her to be dehydrated, exhausted and suffering suspected hypoglycaemia and heat stroke.

Following rehydration treatment Suzette was walked back along the trail to the nearest road where she was reunited with her friend Willie Kriel and released requiring no further medical attention.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay Station Commander, said that Suzette told us she had hiked from Sea Point but had not planned to walk as far as she had. She said that while walking she got into a momentum and had telephoned Willie to tell him to meet her at a restaurant in Hout Bay for lunch, saying that they had planned to go for lunch in Hout Bay but that while walking she had simply decided to carry on on-foot and meet Willie there instead!!

Unprepared, with no water, hat or hiking provisions she had eventually found herself dehydrated and confused and had eventually decided that she needed assistance.

Suzette has appealed to others not to make the same mistake that she had and to prepare adequately when setting off on a walk.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay Station Commander said: At 17h00 we were activated following reports from a diver charter boat, heading towards Hout Bay harbour from Maori Bay, between Hout Bay and Llandudno, reporting to have a 65 year old male diver on-board unconscious and requiring urgent medical assistance.

NSRI volunteers responded to the Hout Bay harbour slip-way, adjacent to our NSRI rescue base, and the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, Netcare 911 ambulance services and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter responded.

On arrival on-scene the dive charter boat, a 7.3 metre rigid inflatable, Aqualibrium, from a dive charter company, Dive Action, arrived at the slip-way and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts were being applied to the diver on-board.

NSRI medics and paramedics took over CPR efforts from the divers and a crewman of Dive Action but the man was later declared dead on the scene by paramedics.

It was determined that 4 divers had been left behind at Maori Bay when the dive boat made a dash for Hout Bay harbour with the unconscious diver, 5 fellow divers and the skipper and a crewman on-board, and our NSRI rescue craft Albie Matthews responded to Maori Bay to recover the 4 divers that had been left behind.

On arrival at Maori Bay a dive instructor and 3 divers were found perched on rocks on the shore.

NSRI rescue swimmer Gary Greenstone was sent ashore and he swum each man out to the rescue craft, one at a time, in relays using a rope reel and harness.

None of the 4 men who had been left behind was injured and they were brought to our NSRI rescue base.

It has not been determined what caused the deceased diver to get into difficulty and an inquest docket has been opened by Police.

In total 10 divers and the skipper of Aquilibrium and a crewman had launched to dive at Maori Bay earlier in the day. When it was determined that one of the divers, the 65 year old male, was in difficulty he was loaded on-board the dive boat with 5 fellow divers, the skipper and the crewman and brought to Hout Bay harbour and 4 of the divers had been left behind who were later recovered by our NSRI rescue boat.