By Kouthar Sambo

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) urged the public to be cautious around the coastline as the new moon Spring tide increases toward the peak of Spring tide on Wednesday (13 December).

The NSRI has outlined a few incidents which unfolded in the Western Cape.

NSRI at Wilderness

“Police are investigating and following up on leads related to a red distress flare that appears to have been activated from the shoreline, West of Kleinkrantz, on Thursday, 7 December.”

This is according to NSRI Wilderness station commander, Mike Vonk.

NSRI Wilderness, emergency services, with the cooperation of the George ski-boat club, were alerted by an eyewitness, explained Vonk. This follows a report of a 1000-foot parachute red distress flare high over the surf line.

“A search and investigations were conducted when it was determined, from additional eyewitness reports, that the flare had appeared to be discharged from the shoreline,” said Vonk.

NSRI and George Municipal authorities were on high alert over the weekend, said Vonk, but it appeared the flare may have been discharged without emergency intent.

“We are appealing to the public to refrain from setting off red distress flares unless in a life-threatening emergency. The illegal discharge of red distress flares is an offense that carries legal consequences,” warned Vonk.

In an unrelated incident, NSRI further cited an incident at Main Beach Wilderness where its lifeguards were launching into the surf to assist two men caught in rip currents on Sunday.

“NSRI Wilderness dispatched NSRI rescue swimmers while the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Rotary, which was on the water at the time, diverted to respond. Two NSRI lifeguards reached the two casualties, age 21 and 25, who were both on a church excursion to the coast from Pretoria,” detailed Vonk.

According to Vonk, one casualty was brought to shore by an NSRI lifeguard using a rescue torpedo buoy, while one casualty was found in the care of an NSRI lifeguard in the surf line.

“That casualty was rescued onto the NSRI rescue craft and the casualty was brought safely onto the beach. Both patients were treated at the beach for non-fatal drowning symptoms, and no further medical attention was required,” added Vonk.

NSRI in Stillbaai

NSRI Stilbaai station commander Jean du Plessis reported the alert on Sunday of an adult male who was caught in rip currents while fishing at Goukou River.

“NSRI were informed that a local unidentified man on a sea kayak had rescued the fisherman safely to the shore, and he was not injured and required no assistance,” explained du Plessis.

NSRI lifeguards were conducting routine training at Lappiesbaai, detailed du Plessis, when they were alerted by public members to an adult male and an adult female caught in rip currents near Lappiesbaai.

“Three NSRI lifeguards launched into the surf armed with rescue torpedo buoys and wearing fins. On reaching the two casualties, they assisted them to stay afloat before swimming them out of the rip currents and bringing them both safely to shore. The two casualties were not injured,” added du Plessis.

However, not too long after the incident, the same NSRI lifeguards noticed a young male child caught in rip currents and quickly caught up with the casualty and were able to bring the child safely to shore.

“We were alerted to a 12-year-old girl from Worcester, caught in strong currents at the estuary mouth, and she was reported to be in severe distress. A bystander, Mr Berno Smit, from Pretoria, having noticed what was happening, had launched into the water, and on reaching the girl, he managed to swim her safely to the beach,” explained du Plessis.

Furthermore, the NSRI Stilbaai crew arrived on the scene to attend to medically attended to the girl, who was stabilised on the scene.

NSRI further outlined the incident of a SA National Defence Force pencil duck that capsized two nautical miles off-shore of Morris Point while taking part in an annual military endurance challenge around the coast.

On arrival on the scene, detailed du Plessis, the male and the female military members were found to have been rescued from the water onto a second military pencil duck, and they were not injured.

“The two casualties were transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft. The casualty pencil duck was righted and towed to shore and recovered by NSRI without incident,” added du Plessis.

NSR at Saldanha Bay

NSRI Mykonos station commander Nic Stevens reported on Friday (8 December), that the duty crew was alerted to a fisherman suffering a medical complaint onboard of Saldanha Bay.

“The patient, a 41-year-old Hout Bay man, walking wounded, was transferred onto our rescue craft, and he was brought to the small craft harbour where a colleague of the fishing company transported him to hospital for further care,” explained Stevens.

Safety measures

According to NSRI, the following are relevant precautionary measures:

• Swim at beaches protected by lifeguards.
• Inland water users should be cautious as the increase in water-related emergencies is of concern
• Everyone in and around coastal and inland waterways has to have a safety-first mindset.

Furthermore, NSRI has warned that the two daily high tides and the two daily low tides may be stronger than normal rip currents at places around the coastline.