SEA RESCUE – LANGEBAAN – Monday, 25th February, 2012. Kite Boarder assisted:
Gerard Brune, NSRI Mykonos station commander, said:
"On Monday, 25th February, early evening, NSRI Mykonos volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of kite boarder in difficulty off-shore in the Bay between Saldanha Bay and Langebaan.
"Our NSRI Mykonos volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft Gemini Rescuer II and responded.
"On arrival on-scene, following a search, a kite and board was located drifting at sea and recovered but no sign of the kite boarder could be found.
"While a search continued for a suspected missing kite boarder and investigations were launched at local kite boarding shops and at launch sites and while investigating we were approached by a local kite board shop that confirmed that a Swedish man had abandoned his kite at sea and swum safely ashore, after getting into difficulties, and he had gone in search of someone to help him raise the alarm that his kite and board were adrift at sea and to try to find someone willing to help him try to retrieve his kite and board from the sea.
"The kite boarder, Sven Metlig, from Sweden, was reunited with his kite and board at the NSRI sea rescue base in Mykonos.
"He claimed that he had been out on a final sail, before returning home to Sweden, when he got into difficulties before abandoning his kite and board. He is due to fly home to Sweden today, Tuesday, 26th February."
-ENDS-
SEA RESCUE – SHELLY BEACH – Tuesday, 26th February, 2012. Scuba diver missing:
On Tuesday, 26th February, at 08h30, NSRI Shelly Beach volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a scuba diver gone missing while diving at Protea Banks, approximately 5 nautical miles off-shore of Shelly Beach, from a Dive Charter Boat.
NSRI Shelly Beach volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched two sea rescue craft and a sea rescue craft from NSRI Port Edward has joined in the search.
The Dive Charter Boat, from which the scuba diver has gone missing, initiated a search while raising the alarm.
It appears that the scuba diver missing is the Dive Master. According to reports – when the divers emerged from diving the Dive Master was reported missing but the sequence of events are not as yet clear and are subject to an investigation to determine.
Police Search and Rescue are on high alert and the Transnet National Ports Authority rescue helicopter has joined in the search. A further 4 private boats, some of them are also charter boats, have joined in the search.
The divers, on the dive charter boat, are due to be ferried to shore while the search continues.
The missing scuba diver is aged in his late 20's.
Further updates to follow.
SEA RESCUE SHELLY BEACH – UPDATE: Missing diver found:
Mark Harlen, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said:
"Jean-Pierre Els, 30, from Uvongo, Shelly Beach, the dive master of African Dive Adventures, who went missing this morning (Tuesday, 26th February), 5 nautical miles off-shore of Shelly Beach, on the Kwa-Zulu Natal South Coast, at Protea Banks, while conducted a group charter dive, was located by the Transnet National Ports Authority rescue helicopter at 15h20 off-shore of Port Edward, approximately 45 kilometers (24 nautical miles) from where he originally went missing.
"An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed into the water from the rescue helicopter to secure the casualty who was then winch hoisted into the rescue helicopter and airlifted to shore to our NSRI Shelly Beach rescue base.
"Despite exhaustion, dehydration and some sunburn he is not injured and he will not require to be hospitalized.
"It appears that he was separated from the dive charter group, at around 08h00, while diving and when he surfaced from the dive he had no sight of the dive charter boat. He drifted for over 7 hours in the 2 to 3 meter rough sea swell and a 30 knot wind until he was found.
"In total we deployed the Transnet National Ports Authority rescue helicopter, 2 NSRI Shelly Beach sea rescue craft, 1 NSRI Port Edward sea rescue craft and there were 5 private boats assisting in the search. (Two of the private boats assisting in the operation are also from African Dive Adventures).
"NSRI commend all involved in this sea rescue operation for their cooperation and assistance."
-ENDS-
Released by:
Craig Lambinon
Sea Rescue Communications
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