Port St Johns
Sedgefield: Between Mossel Bay and Knysna, Southern Cape, South Africa.
The Wilderness duty crew were called out following reports of a drowning in progress at 16h15 on Sunday 01 April, when 2 South Korean citizens were swept out to sea at Sedgefield’s Myoli Beach.
A sea rescue craft, NSRI crew in rescue vehicles, ER-24 Ambulance Services, a METRO ambulance, the EMS rescue helicopter and the SA Police Force responded to the scene.
On arrival 1 of the casualties, a 30 year old man, had been rescued from the surf by local Michael Watson, was treated for near drowning symptoms and transported to hospital by ambulance in a serious but stable condition. His companion, a 22 year old man, remains missing and he is feared to have drowned.
By last light an extensive air, sea and shore search had revealed no sign of the missing man and a Police Dive unit will continue a search from first light.
Both men were swimming in very calm sea conditions when they were swept out to sea by a rip-current according to Garth Dominy, NSRI Wilderness duty coxswain.
Both men have been in South Africa on a training course, for the past three months, and were holidaying with their partners at a local back-packers lodge.
The South Korean Consulate assisted NSRI with language interpretation.
Police have opened an inquest docket.
Port St Johns
Port St Johns volunteers were called out following reports of two men being swept out to sea through the Umzimvubu River mouth on a double sea-kayak at 18h04 on Sunday 01 April.
The river was in flood with horrendous seas and muddy waters being swept out of the river mouth at a rapid rate of knots according to John Costello, NSRI Port St Johns station commander.
One of the mens wives alerted Sea Rescue reporting that the kayak had capsized and was being swept out of the river mouth. Although she had sight of the kayak there was no sign of the two men.
During a search, one man was found washed ashore and later the double kayak washed ashore but there was no sign of the other man.
He was later found after he had managed to swim ashore further along the coast.
It then emerged that a third man had been involved but had managed to paddle to the river bank on his single sea-kayak before he could be swept out to sea through the river mouth.
None of the three were injured.
The two men who were swept out to sea on the double kayak are a 33 year old from Parkhurst, Johannesburg, and his 35 year old brother-in-law from Bedfordview, Johannesburg.
The 42 year old who made it to the river bank before being swept out to sea, is from Parkhurst, Johannesburg.
They had launched 3 km upstream of the Umzimvubu River and had attempted to drift downstream but underestimated the strength of the current.
Port Alfred:
NSRI Port Alfred duty crew responded to East Beach, Port Alfred, following reports of a drowning in progress at 17h48 on Sunday 01 April.
Three swimmers, a 17 year old girl from Jeffreys Bay and two brothers, 18, on holiday from Centurion all got into difficulty in the surf and were swept out to sea in a rip current.
The father of the two boys, went into the surf to try to save them. Local surfers, Daniel Patterson, Ryan Nel and Kelvin Browning, all from the local air school, rescued the 3 youngsters after noticing that they were in difficulty in the surf and they brought them safely ashore.
The NSRI sea rescue craft rescued the father from the surf and brought him safely to shore.
The 17 year old girl was treated on-scene by NSRI medics and NSRI have transported her to hospital, suffering from near drowning symptoms, in a stable but serious condition.
At 19h00 the hospital staff reported that she is recovering well but will be kept overnight in hospital for observation for secondary drowning according to Juan Pretorius, NSRI Port Alfred station commander.
- NSRI
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