In light of two incidents on Thursday, where two young men were assisted by NSRI at Melkbosstrand and two other young men were rescued at Jeffreys Bay, the National Sea Rescue Institute have appealed to inshore seafarers, paddlers and sailboarders to download and use the NSRI SafeTrx smartphone app.
Also read: New NSRI vessel is on a 1 900km voyage from Cape Town to KZN
Shortly after 1pm on Thursday, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew were activated following reports from a concerned local dad reporting his 20-year-old son and his 17-year-old friend, experiencing motor mechanical failure of their jet-ski and requiring urgent assistance.
On arrival on the scene, the pair were found safe and not injured. An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed to remain with the casualty jet-ski while the two were taken safely to shore.
‘We assisted to recover the casualty craft and no further assistance was required,’ Dave Blewett, NSRI Melkbosstrand duty controller.
Hours later, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from two local me,n on a double fishing sea-kayak, after their craft began taking on water..
‘Josh Scheepers, (25) and Danielle Venter (23) had launched earlier at Checkers Beach Break, between Boneyards and Magna Tubes,’ explained NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, Paul van Jaarsveld.
‘They were fishing when their sea-kayak started to take water and submerge from causes believed to be from faulty seals on their cup and rod holders.’
‘NSRI rescue crew responded to the shoreline to get a visual of the casualties while our duty crew responded to our NSRI Jeffreys Bay rescue station where our rescue craft Rescue 37 was launched.’
‘Following a brief search we found the two men about 1.5 nautical miles off-shore, they both had their feet on their submerged sea-kayak and they both had on life-jackets that kept them both afloat. They were both showing signs and symptoms of early hypothermia.’
An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed into the water to assist. Scheepers was taken onboard our rescue craft while a rescue swimmer assisted Venterl to secure their sea-kayak to prevent the casualty craft from completely sinking.
‘After the casualty was secured Venter was taken onboard our rescue craft and we recovered their sea-kayak.’
‘A barbel fish was found at the end of their fishing line and the fish was released unharmed back into the ocean.’
They were commended for wearing life-jackets and for swiftly alerting NSRI to the emergency.
Also read: