Tom Coetzee, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said; “At 11h42 on Sunday 11 December, NSRI Kommetjie volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a 5 meter ski-boat capsized at chimneys channel at the Kommetjie slipway with 5 people onboard, an adult and four children (all males).
“It appears that their motor cut-out in the channel after they may have driven the boat through a kelp bed and a wave then capsized their boat.
“Our NSRI volunteer sea rescue duty crew, the SA Police Services, Metro EMS, CMR (Cape Medical Response), Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and SA National Parks members responded.
“When NSRI rescue swimmer Nick Marnitz arrived on-scene he found a private boat with its owner onboard, the boat was idling in the channel, and Nick requested the skipper of the private boat to take him out through the channel to the scene of the capsized boat which he did and on their arrival on-scene all 5 casualties, who were all still in the water in the vicinity of their capsized boat, were rescued onto the private boat.
“During the rescue Nick jumped into the water to help the children to get into the boat.
“All 5 casualties, a man, believed to be aged in his 40’s, from Constantia, his two sons aged 13 and 11, and their friends a 10 year old and a 13 year old, from Constantia and from Rondebosch, were treated on the scene by paramedics for mild hypothermia and minor scratches and bruises and they required no further assistance.
“NSRI Kommetjie launched their sea rescue craft WAVESCAPES and the casualty boat was recovered.”
