Body in Simonstown harbour and Whale carcass washes ashore at Knysna

SIMON’S TOWN Wednesday 11th April 2012. Body recovered in harbour:

NSRI Simon’s Town were called out following reports of a body found floating entangled in rope between two boats in Simon’s Town harbour.

According to Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simon’s Town station commander, the duty crew and Police responded and the body of a 79 year old local man, who lives on his yacht in the harbour, was recovered from the water.

It is suspected that the man may have fallen into the water the previous evening, while returning to his yacht from the False Bay Yacht Club. Police have opened an inquest docket for investigation.

The Whale off Knysna. Picture Graeme Harding/NSRI.

KNYSNA: Wednesday 11th April 2012. Bryde’s whale carcass washes ashore:

Knysna volunteers were called out for what was thought to be an upturned hull of a boat floating 5 nautical miles due South of Knysna Heads.

According to Graeme Harding, NSRI Knysna station commander, they launched a rescue boat and on arriving found a carcass of a 14 meter Bryde’s whale drifting.

The drift of the carcass gave the impression that it was heading landward and NSRI volunteer coast-watchers were asked to keep a look-out.

At 16h50 the coast watchers informed us that the carcass was approaching land at Buffels Bay and we launched a sea rescue boat to possibly make an attempt to tow the carcass back out to sea. We found the carcass washed up on the rocks and aborted efforts to tow it out to sea.The Department of Environment – Oceans and Coasts (DoE-O&C) have been informed.

At 08h31 on Thursday 12th April NSRI Knysna again launched at the request of the DoE-O&C to investigate any possibility of removing the carcass on the seaward side and possibly towing it out to sea using sea rescue craft.

The outcome of today’s investigation and attempts to remove the carcass will be sent in a media release by email later today.

Pictures for media use are available on Sea Rescue’s Flickr page.

UPDATE:

NSRI were not able to remove the carcass of the whale which is hard aground in front of the caravan park at Buffels Bay near to Knysna. SA National Parks and The Department of Environment – Oceans and Coasts remain on-scene and it is expected that the whale carcass will be disposed of from the land side.

- NSRI