At 17h00 on Thursday 1 December, NSRI Kommetjie volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a paddle-skier suspected to have been blown out to see and possibly knocked off his paddle-ski in the vicinity off-shore of Scarborough, near Kommetjie, and witnessed being blown off-shore towards Crayfish Factory (in the direction of Kommetjie).
NSRI Kommetjie launched the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF WINELANDS and activated the NSRI Kommetjie rescue vehicle to begin a sea and shore search and after no sign of the missing paddler was found NSRI Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew and the Metro EMS Skymed helicopter were activated to join the search in the 30 to 35 knot winds and 2 to 3 meter sea swell and NSRI Hout Bay launched the sea rescue craft MTU NADINE GORDIMER and ALBIE MATTHEWS and activated the NSRI Hout Bay rescue vehicle but an extensive sea, shore and air search revealed no sign of the surfer.
During the search a local Paddle Board Association was contacted by rescue controllers and they sent an sms cellphone message to all of their members in an attempt to identify the paddle boarder and shortly thereafter a local man, Charles Brandon, called to confirm that he had been paddling in the area at the time and that he had been blown somewhat off-shore and in the direction of the Crayfish Factory but he had managed to paddle to shore safely and had left the scene to go home unawares that a rescue operation had been launched for him.
The details provided by the paddle boarder and the details provided by the eye-witness match and all rescue resources engaged in the rescue operation were stood down to return to base and no further action was required.
NSRI urge anyone launching any kind of craft to go to sea to let a responsible person know your departure time, your exact route and your return time, stick to your plans and check-in with the responsible person on your safe return.
