Southern Cape NSRI on the Beat

Mike Vonk, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said: Police divers are continuing in an ongoing search for a 16 year old male, from George, missing since Sunday afternoon in the sea at Wilderness Beach.

NSRI Wilderness and the WC Government Health EMS rescue squad are assisting Police divers in their ongoing search on Monday.

At 10h07, Saturday, 26 November, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were alerted to reports of a drowning in progress at Leentjiesklip.

While resources were responding it was reported that a swimmer who had been in difficulty in the surf was safely out of the water and no further assistance was required.

Our NSRI Wilderness crew were activated at 18h13, Saturday, 26 November, to respond to Myoli Beach where a whale calf was reported to have beached.

On arrival on the scene a whale calf was located in shallow water on the beach. Members of the public had attempted to return the calf back into the water. Unfortunately, the new-born Bryde’s whale did not survive.

The carcass was recovered to above the high-water mark.

SA National Parks are arranging disposal of the whale carcass.

On Sunday, 27 November, at 11h30, NSRI Wilderness were alerted to a Penguin reportedly entangled in fishing gear at Gerickes Point, Sedgefield. The Marine Animal Stranding Network were notified and the Penguin has been disentangled and recovered for rehabilitation by Marine personnel.

At 12h00, Sunday, 27 November, our NSRI Wilderness duty crew, while conducting routine training exercises, were alerted to a female caught in a rip current at Wilderness Beach.

An NSRI lifeguard, using an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, and an NSRI rescue swimmer deployed into the surf.

A public member had also launched into the surf.

The public member reached the girl first and he was able to bring her towards the beach where the NSRI lifeguard and the NSRI rescue swimmer assisted them safely onto the beach.

The girl, a local, was not injured.

At 12h55, Sunday, 27 November, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following reports of a paraglider accident at Swartvlei Beach Carpark.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and the ARCC (Air Rescue Coordination Centre) were alerted.

NSRI medics responded directly to the scene, while our NSRI rescue vehicle with additional NSRI medics onboard, ER24 ambulance services and Knysna Fire and Rescue Services responded.

On arrival on the scene a 72 year old local male, who had crashed into a vehicle in the Swartvlei Beach parking area while paragliding, was treated for suspected serious injuries and he was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a stable condition. He has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.

At 13h09, Sunday, 27 November, NSRI Wilderness while treating the injured paraglider at Swartvlei carpark, we were alerted by members of the public to reports of a drowning in progress at Swartvlei Beach.

A female, believed to be aged in her 20’s, was caught in rip currents.

A man, believed to be aged in his 60’s launched into the water to assist but when he reached the casualty, the good Samaritan also got into difficulties.

That man’s son, armed with an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, launched into the water to assist and he reached the female and he rescued her to the shore.

An NSRI rescue swimmer launched into the water. He reached the 60-year-old male and together, with another member of the public who had also swum out to assist, they rescued him safely to the beach.

There were no injuries.

On NSRI resources returning to our NSRI Wilderness rescue station, at 14h03, Sunday, 27 November, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were alerted to a drowning in progress at Wilderness Beach.

2 local males, aged 15 and 16, were caught in rip currents. NSRI believe that there were initially 5 boys in the water. 3 got out safely prior to NSRI arriving on the scene.

The NSRI rescue craft Ann Stratford Rescuer was immediately launched while an NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed into the surf. NSRI Rescue Craft Oscar Rescue was also launched to join the search.

Frontier Medics ambulance services, WC Government Health EMS ambulance and rescue squad, the SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter responded.

One of the youngsters (age 15) was located and recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft and he was brought to shore where he was treated by paramedics for non-fatal drowning symptoms.

An extensive air, sea and shoreline search, including NSRI rescue swimmers deployed into the surf to conduct free dive sweeping line search efforts, continued for the 16-year-old male who remains missing.

During this search an off-duty lifeguard, who happened to be at the beach at the time, noticed 2 people caught in rip currents nearby.

He ran down the beach and launched into the surf to assist.

NSRI resources and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, that were there searching for the missing teenager, diverted to assist in this rescue operation.

Two male teenage casualties, were located in the surf impact zone by the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter. An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed from the rescue helicopter into the surf where he secured one teenager who was semi-conscious in the water.

That casualty (age 16) and the NSRI rescue swimmer were taken onboard NSRI’s Oscar Rescue and brought to shore where paramedics initiated medical treatment to the casualty who was in a serious condition suffering non-fatal drowning symptoms.

The second casualty teenager (age 15) was located and recovered onto an NSRI Ann Stratford rescue craft and he was brought to shore where he was attended to by paramedics.

The 15 year old male was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition.

The 16 year old male, secured into a specialised stretcher, was transported along the beach on the NSRI rescue vehicle, to the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, and he has been airlifted to hospital by Skymed in a serious but stable condition.

The search for the missing 16 year old male at Wilderness Beach is ongoing.

Our thoughts are with the family of the missing teenager in this difficult time.