Mike Meyer, SA Whale Disentanglement Unit (SAWDU), said: “On Saturday 14 August at 11h15 the SA Whale Disentanglement Unit were activated following reports of an 8 to 10 metre young Southern Right whale spotted entangled in rock lobster rope and floatation buoys in the vicinity between Gordon’s Bay and Koegel Bay.

The whale was spotted swimming between Gordon’s Bay and Koegel Bay and numerous sightings had been reported by eye-witnesses.

The whale had first been spotted on Friday night 13 August by private boats in False Bay and efforts, by the City of Cape Town’s Department of Environmental Affairs – Oceans and Coast, to find the whale had been called off at last light and on Saturday morning the Department of Environmental Affairs Coastal Patrol fixed wing aircraft, which happened to be in the air and in the area on normal patrol operations at the time, was asked to try to spot the whale but no sightings were made and a request was made on Maritime vhf radio frequencies for private vessels in the area to keep a lookout for the whale.

At 11h09 on Saturday the private craft Southern Right happened to spot the whale and they called the NSRI.

Two NSRI sea rescue craft were dispatched by sea rescue Gordon’s Bay, the Sanlam Rescuer and the Douglas Murray, and the whale was found off Steenbras Point where specialised disentanglement equipment was used by SAWDU volunteers to free the whale from it’s entanglement.

Once the whale had been successfully freed the young whale swam off appearing to be in a healthy state.

Southern Right Whale Entangled. Photograph courtesy of SAWDU.

Some of the specialised equipment that was used during the rescue operation was damaged. It is quite normal during these rescue operations for the equipment being used to get damaged due to the unpredictable behaviour of these large animals. All the equipment is sponsored or donated to the SAWDU volunteers to carry out these operations.”

The SA Whale Disentanglement Unit is a specialised unit that set up a network of volunteers in 2006 to deal with these types of situations and comprises volunteers – from NSRIi, the Department of Environmental Affairs – Oceans and Coast, SA National Parks, Cape Nature, the SA Police Services, various aquariums from around South Africa, the Natal Sharks Board, various other organisations and volunteers, with the support of the Dolphin Action and Protection Group (DAPG).

SADWU covers the entire SA coastline.

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.

Leon van Niekerk, Sea Rescue Melkbosstrand coxswain, said: “On Tuesday at 12h36 Sea Rescue Melkbosstrand volunteers were activated following reports of a drowning in progress in front of the old slip-way next to the NSRI Melkbosstrand rescue base.

Myself and a fellow sea rescue crew member responded to the scene and 2 private ambulance services, the SA Police Services and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services responded to the scene.

On our arrival on-scene we found a man on a surfboard in the process of rescuing the casualty from the water.

We waded into the water to help them out and once safely ashore paramedics attended to the casualty treating him for hypothermia and near drowning symptoms and the casualty has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition for treatment and it has been reported that he is recovering well in hospital and is due to be released from hospital.

In this incident the Head Chef of the Beach House Restaurant, Steven Freeborough, 41, from Melkbosstrand, was outside of the Beach House Restaurant when he noticed two men and a female walking their dog on the beach front.

Steven said that he noticed that the three had stopped and stripped down to their swimming attire and they had waded into the water and they were in knee high water when a strong rip current swept one of the men, Deaven Mbango, from Melkbosstrand, (aged in his mid twenties), out to sea.

Steven said that he saw the man screaming for help while he was being swept out to sea and Steven, who is a surfer in the area too, grabbed his longboard surfboard, got out of his chef’s gear to don a wetsuit, and then paddled out to sea after Deaven in an attempt to try to rescue the man.

When Steven reached Deaven he found that Deaven was clinging onto kelp in the strong rip-current which was preventing Deaven from being swept further out to sea.

They were about 50 metres out to sea in 1.5 metre surf.

Deaven was shivering from the cold.

Steven then encouraged and coaxed Deaven to climb onto his surf board and to lie down on the surfboard and then Steven lay down on the surfboard behind Deaven and together they paddled across the beachfront (to get away from the rip-current) and once they were out of the rip-current they paddled to shore where they were met by the rescuers.

Steven Freeborough is commended for his quick actions today for rescuing Deaven Mbango.”

Pat van Eyssen, Sea Rescue Table Bay station commander, said: “On Saturday 7 August 2010, at 13h00 Sea Rescue Table Bay volunteers launched our rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and Rotary Endeavour to investigate getting the small rubber-duck off the rocks at Robben Island on the North West side of the Island.

On arrival on-scene a sea rescue team was sent ashore where the rubber-duck Sniper was prepared for recovery and we successfully brought her off the rocks and she has been towed to the Port of Table Bay by our rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom.”

Original Report: Robben Island Scuba Divers Assisted After Boat Capsize.

Photograph courtesy of Sea Rescue showing Sea Rescue Table Bay volunteers preparing the rubber-duck for recovery off Robben Island where she lay hard aground after capsizing and drifting onto rocks the night before.

Pat van Eyssen, Sea Rescue Table Bay station commander, said: “On Friday 6 August at 19h03 Sea Rescue Table Bay volunteers were activated following a request for assistance from the authorities on Robben Island reporting a rubber duck capsized on the North West side of the island.

The Robben Island authorities reported that 3 men had walked to the harbour on Robben Island after their boat had capsized and run aground on the North West side of the Island. The 3 survivors had reported, to the authorities on the island, that a further 3 men, who had been scuba diving from their boat, were still in the water somewhere between Sea Point and Robben Island.

NSRI Table Bay volunteers launched our rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and Rotary Endeavour and a search commenced between Sea Point and Robben Island for the 3 missing Scuba Divers.

Shortly after sea rescue initiated the search the 3 missing scuba divers had telephoned their friends (on Robben Island) to say that they were safe after being picked up by a passing boat and that they had been taken to Hout Bay.

Our sea rescue craft then proceeded to Robben Island to assess the 3 men who were still on the island and a shore rescue party rendezvoused with the 3 men who were already ashore.

All 6 men were found to be safe and not injured and their 4.5 metre rubber duck Sniper is lying capsized against rocks on the North West side of the island.

The 3 men on the island were brought back to mainland aboard our sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom.

The men claim they were scuba diving in thick fog between Sea Point and Robben Island and while 3 of the men were on a dive the boats steering had failed and the boat drifted ashore and eventually capsized in the surf on Robben Island and the 3 men who were still on the boat had managed to get ashore on Robben Island. They had lost their 3 dive mates at sea and had then walked to the harbour on Robben Island to raise the alarm.

The 3 men who were diving at the time claim that they had surfaced from their dive to find their support boat missing when a passing Snoek boat Oubaas had picked them up from the water and brought them in at Hout Bay harbour.

The men are skipper Gert Meyer, 25, from Port Elizabeth, and crew Regan James, 25, from Hout Bay and Mario Kleynhans, 29, from Milnerton, who were on the boat when it capsized, and Jacobus Dalton, 17, and Samuel Coverwell, 38, from Milnerton, and a man known only as James, from Hout Bay, who were the 3 divers in the water at the time.

They had launched their boat at the Oceana Power Boat Club earlier in the day to Scuba Dive.

Their boat remains capsized on the North West side of the island and authorities will assess if it can be salvaged.”

Anything can happen at sea that could threaten survival. Your crafts batteries could die, your crafts motors could fail, you could hit a semi-submerged object, your boat or paddle craft can be capsized by a wave even in the calmest seas, someone on-board your vessel could get injured or suddenly sustain a serious medical condition, you could find yourself in thick fog and lost or a sudden on-set of inclement weather could threaten your safety…..

The NSRI appeal to all fishermen and anyone launching any kind of craft to go to sea to:

Carry safety equipment: Wear a properly fitting lifejacket at all times while at sea. Have red distress flares; a signalling mirror or CD disc; communications devices – a handheld radio or cellphone with batteries fully charged and kept in water tight plastic sleeves; a referees whistle; waterproof torch, a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) – Kept in an easily recoverable watertight capsize kit.

Your craft should be painted in a bright colour with reflective stickers pasted on your craft and stencil your name, a contact number of a responsible person on-shore and your own contact number on your craft.

Practice using your safety equipment before launching your craft. The NSRI recommend you jump into a swimming pool fully clothed, with your lifejacket on, to practice recovering safety items from your capsize kit. It will be of little help if the first time you familiarize yourself with your safety equipment is in a real emergency when adrenalin and rough seas are at play.

Always let a responsible person on shore know what time you are leaving, your exact route and intentions and your arrival time. Stick to your plan at all costs.

Anyone going to sea regularly for prolonged periods should sms (communicate) coordinates giving your position to the responsible land party at regular intervals (the NSRI recommend hourly). If you change your plans during your voyage or if you wander off-course during your voyage you should let the responsible person on-shore know.

Discuss a plan of action with the responsible shore person so that everyone involved in your planned voyage knows what the procedures will be if you fail to return or if you fail to make a communications connection at the designated times.

The NSRI urge skippers of boats to brief their crew and passengers on safety procedures prior to launching. Cover areas such as capsizing and what everyone should do if the boat capsizes. Flooding and what everyone should do if the boat floods and begins to sink. At regular intervals during the voyage go over emergency safety procedures for your crew and passengers.

Everyone living along the coast, anyone visiting the coast and anyone going to sea should have the sea rescue emergency phone number programmed into their phone (The responsible person on shore should also have the sea rescue emergency phone number programmed into their phone). In a sea rescue emergency contact the sea rescue emergency phone number. Contacting the sea rescue emergency phone number will immediately activate all authorities responsible for a sea rescue emergency without delay and allows the sea rescue authorities the ability to immediately set up a central communications joint operations control centre and launch an effective sea rescue operation.

If you don’t know your nearest sea rescue emergency phone number call the NSRI headquarters during office hours at (021) 4344011 to find out.

If you suspect someone to be in difficulty at sea, or, if you suspect someone to be overdue from fishing, paddling or boating, you should call the sea rescue emergency phone number without delay allowing the sea rescue authorities to investigate immediately. This will save essential time if there is trouble.

Darius van Niekerk, Sea Rescue Mykonos station commander, said: “At 19h00, on Monday 26th July, our Mykonos Sea Rescue volunteers were activated following reports of a Crayfish Bakkie (Small open crayfish boat) reported to be overdue from fishing with 2 men onboard.

Sea Rescue Mykonos dispatched a land party to the scene to scour the shoreline and the Police Port of Entry Security, the SA Police Services and a large contingent of local fishermen began a search.

The search covered a 15 nautical mile stretch of the coastline.

Sea conditions were calm with a light wind.

At midnight NSRI Mykonos suspended a search, with no clear indication of where the men had been fishing, and the matter was handed over to Police and the Transnet Port Authority.

From first light today a 35 Squadron Dakota fixed wing aircraft from the SA Air Force (SAAF) was dispatched and NSRI Mykonos were requested by the Transnet Ports Authority to join in the continuing search.

At approximately 09h50, today, 27th July, one of the missing fishermen, 68 year old Ngwane Mncedisa, was found 3.5 nautical miles North West of Elands Point (also known as Bobbejaan Punt), clinging to the upturned hull of the capsized Crayfish Bakkie. He was found by a passing boat and he was brought ashore in a severe state of hypothermia and he has been transported to hospital by a Metro ambulance in a serious but stable condition.

Sea Rescue Mykonos, the SAAF 35 Squadron Dakota, the SA Police Services and local fishermen are continuing a search for the remaining missing fisherman.

It has been confirmed that neither of the men were wearing life-jackets.

Both fishermen are from Elands Bay.”

Darius van Niekerk, Sea Rescue Mykonos station commander, said: “On Saturday 24 July at 14h05 sea rescue Mykonos were activated following reports of a 4.2 metre skivee, open deck boat, capsized at Needles (a popular diving reef off-shore of Malgas) with 2 spear fishermen onboard.

Boat owner and skipper, Robert Guthrie, 47, from Langebaan, reported that he had swum to Malgas Island, after their boat capsized, leaving his friend, Deon Louw, from Hopefield, (age not established by NSRI but we believe he is older than Robert) behind on the upturned hull of the capsized boat, to raise the alarm but, after finding no one on Malgas Island, he then swam to the mainland at Malgas where he found the SA Naval Base and the Navy duty officer who raised the alarm activating the NSRI.

Robert confirmed that his spearfisherman partner, Deon, was still onboard the upturned hull of their capsized craft.

The Navy launched a harbour patrol boat with Robert onboard and sea rescue Mykonos launched our rescue craft Gemini Rescuer.

On arrival on-scene the casualty, Deon, who was found sitting on the upturned hull, was taken onboard the Navy harbour patrol boat and the NSRI and the Navy personnel righted the capsized craft which was then towed by the NSRI to Mykonos harbour.

Neither of the 2 men were injured and once safely ashore the 2 men required no further assistance.”

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.”

In a follow up to this article: Helicopters Rescue Sailor With Fractured Ribs, Andre Beuster, NSRI Air Sea Rescue station commander, said: “Extra fuel was transported aboard the two Air Force 22 Squadron helicopters to complete the rescue operation to casualty evacuate a 23 year old Turkish sailor suffering fractured ribs after falling through gaps in a stairwell aboard the bulk carrier Proud just before midnight on Friday night (25th June).

“The extra fuel was transferred in-flight during the 100 nautical mile flight to reach the ship North West of Cape Town.

“Sea conditions on-scene were 3.5 metre swells and a 20 knot South Easterly wind.

“On arrival on-scene one of the Oryx helicopters landed on the bulk carrier and NSRI rescue swimmer Kim Germishuys and Metro paramedic Gary Wocker were taken to the ships medical room and the patient was stabilised and secured into a “medivac” stretcher and brought to the helicopter and loaded aboard the helicopter.

“The patient was flown to Air Force Base Ysterplaat and then transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.

“The duration of the rescue flight was 3 hours.”

Proud - image compliments of 22 Squadron

Metro paramedic Gary Wocker and NSRI ASR station commander Andre Beuster carrying patient to the ambulance. Image courtesy of 22 Squadron

The NSRI are appealing to World Cup visitors from abroad to exercise extreme caution around our coastline over the next few days as the full moon spring tide brings in the strongest rip-currents of the month.

The South African coastline experiences strong rip-currents throughout the year but today, and for the next few days, these rip-currents escalate in intensity with the spring tide. (Spring tides bring higher than normal high tide and lower than normal low tide and are experienced twice monthly during full moon and again at new moon).

Our main concern is that winter sea conditions bring naturally rough sea conditions to our coastline (from rough weather being experienced deep ocean), this coupled with the spring tide is expected to see intense rip-currents being experienced around our coastline and the influx of world cup overseas visitors and with SA’s current school holidays this is a recipe for disaster we want to avoid by issuing this early warning.

Another major concern are anglers who fish from rocks or islands that are easily accessible during a spring low tide but which are then engulfed by waves during the spring high tide often causing anglers to be swept off rocks or to be cut off from the mainland during the spring high tide.

The most dangerous bathing times are when high tide turns and heads out towards low tide. In some past incidents people wading in ankle deep water have been swept off their feet, swept out to sea, and drowned as a result of being caught in rip-currents.

The most dangerous bathing areas are near to river mouths or lagoon estuaries, wherever rocky outcrops, islands or reefs jut out into the sea, along areas where there are expansive stretches of uninterrupted beach and wherever man made structures jut out into the sea (harbour walls, jetties, land fills etc).

Most bathing beaches are protected by lifeguards and we urge bathers in these areas to only go to beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty. Swim only within the safe swimming demarcated zones posted by lifeguards using red and yellow flags. Obey the lifeguards instructions for safe bathing and expect the safe demarcated swimming zones to change regularly throughout the day as the strongest rip-currents change position regularly and lifeguards will move their safe swimming zones away from the worst of the rip-currents.

Where lifeguards are not in attendance bathers should exercise extreme caution and have a responsible person posted as observation while bathing.

Children should have responsible adult supervision around all water – coastal, inland and swimming pools.

If you are caught in a rip-current you will find you are suddenly being swept out to sea faster than you can swim towards shore! Don’t panic. Simply stay afloat by treading water – moving your arms and legs in circular movements and keeping your lungs filled with oxygen which increases your buoyancy. Stay afloat and, as tough as it sounds, let the current take you out to sea. Don’t try to swim against the current as this will only cause exhaustion which increases your chances of drowning. Wave one arm towards the shoreline while shouting for help – to alert people on the beach that you are in trouble and in need of help. As the current gets further out to sea its intensity will be reduced naturally and at your first opportunity swim parallel to the beach front until you are free of the rip-current and then use the incoming waves to gently swim back to shore.

Today, Saturday 26 June 2010, two SA Air Force Oryx helicopters have been tasked to respond to a sailor suffering fractured ribs 100 nautical miles off-shore of Cape Town.

The NSRI Air Sea Rescue unit (NSRI ASR) and Metro paramedics are responding, aboard two Air Force Oryx helicopters, 100 nautical miles off Cape Town, to casualty evacuate a patient suspected to be suffering fractured ribs aboard the bulk carrier Proud.

The rescue team were alerted at 00h10 today.

The bulk carrier was 400 nautical miles off-shore of Cape Town when they requested medical assistance at 00h10 this morning. The ship was advised to head towards Cape Town and they are expected to be 100 nautical miles off-shore at around 13h00 today, in range for this rescue operation.

It is not yet known what caused the sailor to sustain fractured ribs.

Two Oryx helicopters from the South African Air Force (SAAF) 22 Squadron, from Air Force Base Ysterplaat, are tasked to lift off at approximately midday today on the rescue mission which is expected to take approximately two hours.

The Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services duty doctor has relayed medical advice to the ships medical crew to stabilize the patient pending the arrival of the rescue team.

The patient is believed to be in a stable but serious condition.

Each helicopter comprises 2 SAAF rescue pilots, a SAAF engineer, 2 NSRI rescue swimmers and a Metro paramedic.

It has not yet been decided to which hospital the patient will be airlifted to.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said: “At 18h54 on Tuesday 23 June, NSRI Hout Bay were alerted following a call from Lila Zigada, from Hout Bay, requesting our assistance and reporting that she had been called by her husband Francois, 39, reporting that he, their son Nicholas, 16, and their Boston Terrier dog, Bella, had gotten into some difficulties while hiking on the Karbonkelberg hiking trail, between Llandudno and Hout Bay, and reporting that they were on a ledge, on a cliff face in the vicinity of the hiking trail, but were not able to proceed or retreat from the ledge, effectively making them trapped on the mountain.

“It appears that they had wandered off the actual hiking trail while walking in the fading light and had gotten to a point where they were unable to see a way out of their predicament once daylight had faded.

“We alerted the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services and a Metro rescue team and volunteers from WSAR (Wilderness Search and Rescue) were activated.

“Metro Rescue requested NSRI Hout Bay to send a rescue craft to the scene to illuminate the cliff face, using spot lights, aimed at where the hikers were trapped. (Illuminating the cliff face aides the rescue team proceeding from the land side along a pathway on the cliff face – this method has been used in previous rescue operations in the same area).

“We dispatched our rescue craft Albie Matthews.

“The rescue party (Metro and WSAR) reached the casualties who were found to be safe and only requiring guidance and light to assist them out of danger and they were assisted to get back to the hiking trail path and they have been safely walked to safety in the company of the rescue team and once safely at the driving trail (at Rocket Road) they were driven to the end of Rocket Road and reunited with Lila in the parking area and they required no further assistance.”

The NSRI are urging hikers hiking on trails along our coastline to always carry adequate and emergency equipment while hiking. A referees whistle, a hand held mirror or CD disc, a torch or headlamp, communications devices with fully charged batteries, brightly coloured warm clothing, plenty of water, the correct attire and walking shoes and a hat and sunscreen.

Always let a responsible person know your departure time, your exact intended route, your arrival time. Stick to your route and check-in with the responsible person on your safe return.

Rescue operations of this nature are most common on the Karbonkelberg, near Hout Bay and on the Robberg Nature Reserve hiking trail near Plettenberg Bay.

The NSRI Air Sea Rescue unit (NSRI ASR) and a Metro doctor and a Metro paramedic are responding aboard two Air Force Oryx helicopters, 90 nautical miles South off Cape Point, to casualty evacuate a patient suspected to be suffering a Myocardial Infarction on a bulk carrier.

The rescue team were alerted at 12h50 today, Saturday 19 June 2010.

Two Oryx helicopters from the South African Air Force (SAAF) 22 Squadron from Air Force Base Ysterplaat are airborne (13h24) on the mission which is expected to take two hours.

The Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services duty doctor has relayed medical advice to the ships medical crew to stabilize the patient, who is believed to be in a serious condition, pending the arrival of the rescue team.

Each helicopter comprises 2 SAAF rescue pilots, a SAAF engineer, 2 NSRI rescue swimmers and a Metro medic.

It has not been decided yet to which hospital the patient will be airlifted to.

Shane Kempen, NSRI Agulhas station commander, said: “At 23h42 on 14 January 2010, NSRI Agulhas were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to respond to Quoin Point, between Agulhas and Gans Baai, following a request for urgent assistance from the 12 metre yacht Redfin with 5 people onboard, 2 females and 3 males, reporting a damaged rudder and the loss of their drogue (a drogue is deployed into the sea attached with rope to the vessel to slow down a vessels speed of drift) and reporting to be being swept landward, 2.5 nautical miles East of Quoin Point in a 25 knot South Easterly, on-shore, wind and in 3 metre rough sea swells. (Sea swells around the vicinity of the incident reached 7 metres with up to 45 knot gusting winds).

NSRI Agulhas launched our 8.5 metre rigid inflatable rescue craft Vodacom Rescuer VII and our NSRI rescue vehicle was dispatched to the closest land point.

NSRI Hermanus towed their 5.5 metre rigid inflatable to Die Damme to be launched and NSRI Simonstown dispatched their deep-sea rescue vessel to begin responding towards the scene as back-up.

Vodacom Rescuer VII experienced 7 metre swells and 45 knot gusting winds during their effort to reach the casualty yacht.

On arrival on-scene, at 03h00, the casualty yacht was 1.5 nautical miles off-shore of Quoin Point and the crew were found to be suffering from hypothermia and some were experiencing a state of motion sickness and the yacht was steadily been driven towards land by the gusting winds and sea swells.

4 crew were initially taken off the casualty yacht but the skipper refused to abandon his yacht.

Following some persuasion and faced with the consequences of possibly running aground in his yacht the skipper finally, although reluctantly, abandoned his yacht favouring the safety of the NSRI rescue craft.

All five and a half people (it was determined that one of the casualty females is four and a half months pregnant) have been brought to the safety of NSRI Agulhas rescue base where they were further treated for hypothermia. Our NSRI volunteers provided them with personal dry clothing and they have been fed and treated for shock. They have been accommodated at our rescue base to rest.

Efforts will be made to try to salvage the yacht today. The yacht is currently adrift at sea and Maritime Radio services are broadcasting a Maritime safety Warning to all vessels in that area warning of the maritime hazard.

The casualties, all from the Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage), are George Pearson, 68, Petrus Strydom, 35, Christine Phelan, 42 (and 4.5 months pregnant), Greg Straud 18 and skipper Lars Strydom, 38.

They had flown to Cape Town and were returning to Port Elizabeth in the yacht after launching from Hout bay.

This was an extremely difficult operation in hazardous sea conditions and the rescue crew are commended for their efforts.

The priority remained to rescue the crew of the yacht despite the extreme sea conditions.

The NSRI are extremely sympathetic to Lars Strydom who was reluctant to be taken off his yacht. He described the yacht as his life and his life savings and he lived on the yacht for the past 4 years but under the circumstances and faced with the dire possibilities at hand he was left with no choice.

It is hopeful that the yacht will be salvaged before she runs aground but rough sea conditions are preventing any efforts at this stage.”

At 07h50 today the yacht was sighted foundering and in the wave line between Quoin Point and Agulhas and it is expected to run aground. A salvage team are investigating any possible salvage efforts.”

Pat van Eyssen, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said: “At 10h48, on Saturday 12 June 2010, NSRI Table Bay were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to respond to rendezvous with the Cape Town registered 80 metre fishing trawler Echalar to casualty evacuate a fisherman on-board reported to have partially amputated fingers on his right hand following an accident on-board (the injury is believed to have occurred in a winch).

“The accident occurred 40 nautical miles off-shore of the Table Bay harbour and the vessel was instructed to start heading towards Table Bay harbour and to rendezvous with the responding NSRI rescue vessel en route.

“NSRI Table Bay dispatched our rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom accompanied by an NSRI Hout Bay paramedic.

“On arrival on-scene the patient was treated for shock and it was found that 4 fingers on his right hand have been partially amputated. The injury was bandaged and after being stabilized the patient, 44 year old Michael France, from Nyanga, was transferred onto our rescue craft and brought to our NSRI rescue base at the V&A Waterfront where we were met by an ambulance and the patient was transported by ambulance to a local hospital in a stable condition for further treatment.”