A surf skier was rescued on Monday in Simon’s Town after activating an NSRI SafeRTrx emergency distress from his smartphone, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Also read: Two surf skiers rescued by NSRI off Simon’s Town coast
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Simonstown duty crew responded to the distress call around 10:38am off-shore of Millers Point near Simonstown.
NSRI Coast watchers started scouring the coastline, while a Cape Medical Response (CMR) rescue vehicle searched along the coastline towards Simon’s Town.
However, the NSRI SafeTrx pings were lost at that stage and calls to the man’s phone indicated that the cellphone was off.
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‘It remains unclear what caused this,’ the NSRI said in a statement. ‘Then NSRI received a call from the man’s wife indicating that he was in distress in the vicinity of Roman Rock Lighthouse.
‘Our NSRI Simonstown crew, arriving at our NSRI Simonstown station 10 rescue base, launched our rescue craft Donna Nicholas while the rescue craft Jack&Irene was prepared to be launched.’
Coastwatchers had trouble spotting the man from high vantage points along the coast due to rough sea conditions with limited visibility.
Neither CMR paramedics nor the NSRI crew could locate the man, raising concerns for his safety. His phone went straight to voicemail and no other pings were received from his NSRI SafeTrx.
Luckily, the man was found approximately one nautical mile south of Roman Rock Lighthouse.
NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the water and they swam the man to the rescue craft. His surf ski was also successfully recovered.
‘We believe his paddle had broken causing him to be unable to keep balance on the surf ski with only one half of the paddle. He drifted holding onto the surf ski when his cellphone went blank from unknown causes,’ the NSRI added.
‘Treatment for hypothermia was commenced on the rescue craft and he was brought to our rescue base and following further rewarming treatment for hypothermia he was collected by a friend and no further assistance was required.’
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Picture: NSRI / Facebook
