“Our NSRI Kommetjie volunteer sea rescue duty crew dispatched our sea rescue vehicle and our sea rescue quad bike to investigate and on arrival on-scene a rubber-duck was found which appeared to be washed up on the beach and approximately 30 meters away the body of an adult male was found which appeared to be washed up on the beach.

“The scene was secured and the SA Police Services were activated and following a Police investigation and photographs and evidence collected at the scene the body of the man was handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.

“Later on the same day a man in Hout Bay claimed to be a survivor of the same rubber-duck and claimed that a third man remains missing. Family members of the missing man have also subsequently come forward and confirmed that all 3 men launched the rubber-duck late on Friday night to go fishing!

“It is suspected that the rubber-duck may have capsized in big sea conditions that prevailed during Friday night and into Saturday morning.

“It is not clear why the survivor did not raise the alarm earlier and Police are interviewing the man in an effort to determine what had happened and how the man came to end up in Hout Bay.

“The three men who are believed to have been on the rubber-duck are believed to all be from Hout Bay.

“Shore patrols were conducted at the scene on Saturday afternoon but no sign of a missing man has been found.

“Today, Sunday 12 February, NSRI Kommetjie and Police divers are continuing a search for the man believed to be missing at the scene where the rubber-duck and the body were found on Saturday. The search has so far has revealed no sign of the missing man. NSRI and Police craft have been launched to support the search.

“Names of the deceased, the survivor and the missing man have not been released and Police have opened an inquest docket.

“Part of the police investigation will be to determine what happened and what the men were doing although it is suspected that the boat capsized in the surf in the early hours of Saturday morning.”

Photographic Print of Hout Bay near Cape Town from Robert Harding

• This 10×8 Print features an image chosen by Robert Harding. Estimated image size 254x170mm.
• Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition
• Image Description: Hout Bay near Cape Town, South Africa *** Local Caption ***
• For any queries regarding this item please contact Robert Harding c/o Media Storehouse quoting Media Reference 1190391
• © Copyright Robert Harding 2008 – All Rights Reserved

10×8 Print, Hout Bay near Cape Town. Hout Bay near Cape Town, South Africa *** Local Caption ***. Chosen by Robert Harding. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition.

List Price: £7.99

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First, the name of my sail boat is not Akuido and my surname is not Loana.

Second, my boat never came closer than half a nautical mile (.9 kilometer) of Vulcan Rock. Her course at the time I asked for assistance would have taken me clear of the rock by about 3/4 of a nautical mile (1.4 kilometers) west of the same.

Third, while it may have appeared I had absolutely no control over my boat’s direction of travel, this is not the case. Taken from my gps track history and recreated using turning points from this history is an accurate reproduction of my boat’s travel before and after assistance was rendered. While my sail was damaged, it was still servicable enough for me to control direction of travel – determined by whether I was on a port or starboard tack. I assumed a starboard tack as soon as I heard the assist vessels were on the way. This was done in order to reduce the distance I would travel away from them, and in fact close the distance somewhat in the time it would take for them to arrive.

The reason I asked for assistance is because the wind strength at approximately 50 knots was capable of rendering my already damaged sail useless. A request to lower the sail was received by me from one of the assist vessels, and in the course of lowering the sail significantly more damage was evident than before. Once the sail was lowered my boat was vulnerable to waves arriving on her beam. This is because it is necessary to have a sail up in order to point the bow into wind and waves. Still, her direction of travel would change depending upon which tack she was on. So, even with the sail down control over direction of travel remained. Furthermore, although I rejected this possibility because it would have taken me farther from assistance and toward the shipping lanes, I could have run downwind away from Hout Bay and aforementioned hazards with or without sails.

If there was ever any consideration by anyone to order me to abandon my boat, I was not informed. Furthermore, the least depth of Tafelberg shoal at 7.8 meters (24′) presented no possibility of a grounding since my vessel’s draft is 3 feet 6 inches… There was never any hazard of me going aground or colliding with Vulcan Rock. Please refer to the attached photos for evidence supporting what I have said.

Finally, given the fact wind velocity increased to 60 knots or more during the time my boat was being towed to safety, my decision to request assistance when I did was the best decision I could have made.

Thank you.
Bob Lorenzi
S/V Armido
Hout Bay Marina,
Hout Bay, S.A.

Sailing Vessel ArmidoGPS Track Log

Author: Bob Lorenzi
Website:

Editor’s Notes: Thanks for clearing that up Bob. I have given the NSRI PR the heads up.

On a personal note, and having been on the receiving end of assistance form Gordon’s Bay NSRI in 1999 during a nasty South Easter and having TWO anchor’s break on us, I can appreciate the NSRI concentrating on saving lives first before thinking about the boat. It is an adrenaline ride out to the rescue in an NSRI boat and on return a tired crewman needs to report back immediately – this does contribute to some slight inaccuracies in the retelling.

“Our NSRI Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft MTU NADINE GORDIMER and ALBIE MATTHEWS and on arrival on-scene we found the yacht being blown across the bay like a leaf in the wind bucking and pitching and having covered over 1.5 nautical miles in the 20 minutes it took our sea rescue craft to reach him and he was on a heading with Vulcan Rock directly in her path.

“A tow-line was rigged to the yacht from our sea rescue craft but on three occasions the tow-line snapped and the V-shaped bridle on the sea rescue craft broke twice. A 12mm thick stainless steel safety snap hook bent and snapped and had to be discarded but with slow progress and making only 1 knot, and having to re-attach the tow-line on numerous occasions, and seriously considering ordering the yachtsman to abandon ship on a number of occasions after the yacht came close to running aground during the rescue operation, our NSRI rescuers finally brought the yacht into the safety of Hout Bay harbour at 22h00.

“Bob Loana, who lives on his yacht, was returning to Hout Bay after “having such a good time there in 2003″, he said. Docking first in Durban and then last port of call Mossel Bay he was close to his destination when his mainsail tore in the gale force winds causing the rescue operation to be launched.

“Bob commended the NSRI Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue crew saying that it was the best teamwork and rescue operation he had witnessed in some of the most trying conditions he had ever found himself in.”

10×8 Print, Hout Bay South Africa. Cape Town South Africa 05/07/2010 Fish for sale, Hout Bay Harbour Photo Roger Parker Fotosports International. Chosen by Fotosports. Printed on 254x203mm Fuji Crystal Archive paper for stable image permanence and brilliant colour reproduction with smooth tones, enhanced sharpness, and excellent definition.

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On arrival on-scene a 9 year old male child was treated for near drowning symptoms and hypothermia and a Metro EMS ambulance was summoned.

The children, both males, a 9 year old and a 7 year old, both from Imizamo Yethu, had been rescued from the water by a local stand-up paddle boarder, who had spotted the children in difficulties in the water while he was stand-up paddle boarding in the sea nearby to the incident.

It appears that they had both been swept out to sea by strong rip-currents while swimming.

Because of traffic congestion and an urgent need to get the 9 year old male patient, who was in a critical condition, to hospital the Metro EMS Skymed helicopter was summoned and the 9 year old male patient has been airlifted to hospital by Skymed in a stable but serious condition.

The 7 year old was released by paramedics on-scene, he was in a satisfactory condition, and released into the care of Law Enforcement officers who will attempt to track down the children’s parents.

It appears that both children were swimming at the beach with no parental control or adult supervision.

Lyall Pringle, NSRI Hout Bay deputy station commander, said that the patient had responded well to oxygen therapy and treatment by the Metro EMS paramedics in their ambulance prior to the arrival of Skymed and his condition had stabilized marginally, although he was still in a serious condition, before being airlifted by Skymed to hospital.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, has requested beach patrol officers, through the local ‘Watchcon’ ADT and neighborhood watch, to caution bathers, at Hout Bay Main Beach, of the strong rip-currents that prevail there.

NSRI are urging caution on South Africa’s beaches. Rough sea conditions and strong rip-currents prevail. NSRI are also urging the public to be particularly cautious at beaches adjacent to river mouths and adjacent to beach outcrops (where rocks, islands, piers and harbour walls jut out into the sea). These places are where rip-currents prevail constantly and are normally strong.

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Volunteer rescuers from NSRI Kommetjie, NSRI Simonstown responded and an NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS was launched.
CMR (Cape Medical Response) ambulance service was activated and the ER24 Discovery Medicopter was placed on high alert. A Metro EMS ambulance responded to the Hout Bay sea rescue base in case any casualties were brought into Hout Bay.

While the response was underway a small fishing craft, that was in the area at the time, responded to the scene after seeing the orange distress smoke flares to find 4 fellow fishermen clinging to the upturned hull of their capsized ‘Crayfish Bakkie’ (small crayfish fishing boat).

All 4 men from the capsized boat were rescued by the fishing boat and brought ashore where one was treated for near drowning symptoms and hypothermia and transported to hospital by a CMR ambulance in a serious condition. The remaining three were treated on-scene for hypothermia and they required no further assistance.

The 4 casualties and their rescuers are from Hout Bay.

Their capsized fishing boat remains adrift at sea semi-submerged and a Maritime Navigational warning is being broadcast by Maritime Radio Services warning boats in the area to be on high alert for the navigational hazard.

It is suspected that the casualty boat may have taken on water while returning to Hout bay from a day of quota cray fishing which may have contributed to the boat capsizing and SAMSA (The South African Maritime Safety Authority) will investigate.

Details of the casualties or of their rescuers are not as of yet available.

NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS was in the water near to the scene conducting routine exercises at the time and arrived on-scene within minutes of the Mayday distress call and it was immediately determined that all 42 passengers and 4 crew (on NAUTICAT) were not injured and although some damage sustained to the boats hull the boat appeared to not be taking any water.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said that the NSRI Hout Bay large deep-sea rescue craft MTU NADINE GORDIMER, preparing to respond to the scene was stood-down and placed on alert (ready to respond if necessary) as it was determined that NAUTICAT was in no immediate danger.

Brad said “our sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS escorted NAUTICAT to her mooring at Hout Bay harbour and no further assistance was required.

It appears that NAUTICAT may have been pushed onto submerged rock/s at Duiker Island by a wave while passengers were viewing seals.

SAMSA (The South African Maritime Safety Authority) have been informed of the incident.

Bright Start, an education support programme in Hout Bay that places disadvantaged children from the community into fee paying schools, will use the minibus for the daily transportation of the learners to and from school. “It will also enable us to extend our cultural enrichment programme outside Hout Bay, for example, trips to the theatre and attending the soccer club and matches in Camps Bay. In addition, a full time job has been created for Wayne, our minibus driver from the community,” explains Fiona Maitland, Bright Start Programme Director.

The co-sponsor, Fuel Online, a training company for the motor industry, sponsors the monthly running costs of the vehicle including the driver’s salary, vehicle insurance and fuel. “The vehicle has facilitated additional opportunities for the development of the children beyond the classroom” says Ross Goodall, Fuel Online Director.

The donors from SA Taxi have indicated that their donation is about contributing to the education of the learners and future generations. “We are proud to support Bright Start knowing that our charity will be used for helping young people develop their values and getting them prepared for the career opportunities that lie ahead,” says Pete Simms, SA Taxi News and Media.

“In order to grow Bright Start’s ability to assist the less fortunate families in Hout Bay, we need donations such as these, which makes a huge difference in our capacity to work,” Maitland concludes.

Contact Bright Start.

“Our NSRI Kommetjie volunteer duty crew launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF WINELANDS and a search commenced but no sign of the boat could be found (they only had a cellphone and 1 small cyalume stick onboard with no flares and they were not exactly sure where they were and they had no way to direct our searching rescue craft to their position) and at 02h14 NSRI Hout Bay were activated to assist in the search and the NSRI Hout Bay volunteer duty crew launched their sea rescue craft MTU NADINE GORDIMER and ALBIE MATTHEWS and during an extensive search in very rough sea conditions with a gusting up to 30 knot North Easterly wind and 3 meter choppy sea swells the crew of SLOW BAS reported to have come ashore on their boat at Crayfish Factory, near Scarborough, where they were met by our sea rescue mobile crew and all 3 men, skipper Donovan Williams, 26, and his crew Lorenzo Strauss and Dan van Helzin, both aged in their 30′s and all 3 from Hout Bay, were found to be safe and not injured and they required no further assistance.”

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said; “”In a separate incident, while our sea rescue craft were returning to base from the Snoek Boat search a man dressed in dive gear appeared at our Hout Bay sea rescue station, at 02h45, claiming that his friends on a 5.5 meter rigid inflatable rubber duck were adrift at sea after running out of fuel in the vicinity off-shore of Noordhoek with 4 crew onboard.

“Our sea rescue craft turned around and following a brief search we found the rigid inflatable rubber duck off-shore of Chapmans Peak with 4 scuba divers onboard.

“A tow-line was rigged and our sea rescue craft towed them safely into Hout Bay harbor where they required no further assistance.”

“Unable to continue fishing because of the rope fouled around her propellors and unable to retrieve two of her fishing long lines that were currently deployed in the water as the vessel has to be underway in order to be able to retrieve the lines, the skipper reported all crew onboard to be safe and in no imminent danger but they required assistance to either free the rope or to be towed to the nearest safe port.

“NSRI Hout Bay volunteer duty crew launched our 7.3 meter rigid inflatable sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS accompanied by a salvage dive master (arranged by the vessels owners) and NSRI Table Bay launched their 13 meter deep sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF VODACOM.

“On arrival on-scene our NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue team found all 20 crew safe but their vessel was found to be rendered useless by the rope that was fouled around her propellors. The diver was deployed into the water and in an hour long dive operation, using cutting equipment, all rope was successfully cut free from the HERMAN S propellors.

“Once free of the rope and with the HERMAN S underway again and busy recovering her long lines before beginning her return to Hout Bay we requested the NSRI Table Bay sea rescue boat to turn around and return to her base (prior to her arriving on-scene).

“Our NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue RIB is returning to Hout Bay in good sea conditions and they are  expected to arrive at approximately 24h30 and we expect the HERMAN S to arrive home in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

“As a precautionary measure our sea rescue stations will stay on high alert until the casualty craft returns safely to port.”

“According to reports a group of approximately 11 youths, locals from nearby Hout Bay Heights, had reportedly been on an outing picking periwinkles off rocks when two of the youths were swept off a rock by a wave at approximately 12h30. One of the youths managed to get safely back to shore but the missing 11 year old was swept away in the direction of Duiker Island before sight of him was lost. An adult male, known only to NSRI as a ‘James’, apparently tried to rescue the youth but was not able to.

“After trying to find their friend for some time part of the group then hiked back to Hout Bay where they raised the alarm with their families who called the rescue authorities.

“NSRI Hout Bay launched our sea rescue craft ALBIE MATTHEWS and our sea rescue 4×4 vehicle was dispatched. Hout Bay Volunteer EMS, Hout Bay Neighborhood Watch, CERT ( Hout Bay Community Emergency Reaction Team), the SA Police Services, a Metro EMS rescue team, a Police Dive Unit and the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter responded.

“On arrival on-scene an extensive sea, air and shore search commenced in extremely rough seas with a 6 meter breaking swell for the missing youth.

“No sign of the youth has been found and a Police Dive Unit, supported by NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue craft, will resume an ongoing search from day break on Sunday. NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Kommetjie, who are both conducting routine exercises on Sunday morning, have been tasked to join in the ongoing search at staggered times during Sunday morning. A specialized Police K-9 dog unit has been placed on alert to join in the search on Sunday if required.

“Police Counsellors are attending to the family of the missing youth and to the friends and families of the youngsters that were with him at the time of his disappearance.”

The NSRI are urging parents to ensure that children have responsible adult supervision when around inland and coastal waters (sea, rivers, dams, lakes, swimming pools and even puddles of water). Extremely rough sea conditions will prevail around the coast for months to come and caution should be exercised especially on harbor walls, at beaches and from rocks along the shore front.

Todays incident occurred during the rising tide (low tide was at 09h10 and high tide at 15h21) this indicates that in all likelihood the children were collecting periwinkles from rocks along the shores edge from when the tide was relatively low and as the tide rose a wave most possibly caught the youths off guard who were then swept off the rocks by the wave!

(Please note that this is only an assumption based on reports and conditions at the time).

Police have opened an inquest docket.

“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 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.

“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.

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.

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.