NSRI National Incident Report

08h02: WILDERNESS:
NSRI Wilderness reported that during the early hours of the morning at least 4 NSRI pink rescue buoys and their poles had been swept away by a peak Spring high tide surge also causing some damage to wooden step ways, sand dune erosion along the Wilderness shoreline that was being assessed by George Municipality.

NSRI Wilderness duty crews had also removed an NSRI rescue craft from the Herolds Bay sponsored rescue garage at about midday – in preparation for the storm surges predicted – and then returned to Herolds Bay as sea conditions worsened with the incoming tide as the afternoon progressed.

Sadly storm surge conditions affected residential properties including the NSRI garage causing damage during the peak of the Spring tide but fortunately no injuries were sustained.
 
13h02: SANDY BAY:
NSRI Hout Bay and the City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network were activated following eye-witness reports of a male teenager caught in currents at Sandy Bay on a body board.
2 teenagers had been body boarding when the eyewitness noticed one male teenager exit the water but his friend was unable to follow due to what appeared to be a sudden storm surge creating strong rip currents in angry seas and the teenager was being swept out to sea towards large breaking sets, breaking swells.
NSRI Hout Bay prepared to launch 2 NSRI rescue craft while local off-duty lifeguards, WC Government Health EMS – rescue squad and ambulance, NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Hout Bay rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services (SAPS), Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and CoCT Law Enforcement responded.
SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Dive Services) were placed on alert.
The eyewitness stayed on the line with the NSRI Hout Bay station commander and to his relief reported that the teenager had reached the beach and he and his body boarding friend were walking towards the Sandy Bay car park seemingly not injured.
NSRI and Police continued towards Sandy Bay parking area but by that stage the 2 teenagers had departed, and no further assistance was required.
 
13h20: JONGENSFONTEIN (near to Stilbaai):
NSRI Stilbaai duty crew alerted to cars being swept out to sea at Jongensfontein.
5 cars, belonging to hikers had been swept away. The hikers were not there but hiking.
Hessequa Municipal emergency services, SA Police Services and NSRI Stilbaai rescue swimmers responded and found public members were attempting to save some of the vehicles as the hikers had not yet returned.
No persons were injured.
 
NSRI Still Bay returned to Stilbaai harbor where public members were congregating at the harbor to view the incoming high tide.
 
As the afternoon progressed NSRI Stilbaai crew blocked the harbor while advising the public to move away and to move their vehicles well clear of the shoreline.
At least 4 groups of teenagers were preparing to use the big seas as an opportunity to surf.
NSRI Still Bay crew convinced them not to launch.
Unfortunately, 3 teenagers launched to body board.
A male teenager was slammed against the harbor wall dislocating his shoulder.
NSRI Stilbaai were alerted to one of these three surfers in difficulty.
That body boarder made it out of the water safely and was treated for a shoulder injury later determined to be a dislocated shoulder.
The remaining 2 teenagers exited the water safely.
 
17h35: Restaurant staff at Die Lapskuit restaurant, Stilbaai, reported a surfer being swept out to sea through the Goukou estuary at the Goukou river.
NSRI rescue swimmers responded and an NSRI JetRib rescue craft was launched but fortunately it was found that it was only an unmanned sea-kayak that had been swept away.
 
15h14: GORDONS BAY:
NSRI Gordons Bay, GB Med Sec ambulance services, the SA Police Services (SAPS) and Gordons Bay Neighbourhood watch responded to the parking area at Bikini Beach where a storm surge penetrated a car park and roadway, also affecting businesses and residential homes.
It was suspected that people were trapped in homes, cars and/or businesses.
WC Government Health EMS – rescue squad and ambulance, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services CoCT Law Enforcement were activated.
SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Dive Services) were placed on alert.
As NSRI rescue swimmers, a GB Med ambulance and a Police patrol vehicle arrived on the scene where it was quickly determined that no persons were trapped or injured.
Responding emergency services resources were stood down.
 
15h53: GQEBERHA:
NSRI Gqeberha, SA Police Services, Nelson Mandela Bay emergency services and the Beach Office responded to Mangolds Pool Resort where caravans, a structure and vehicles had been swept away by a storm surge.
A number of caravans and structures were comprised by the Spring high tide, a number of people were safely evacuated including 1 dog, 1 bird, 2 ladies, 2 children and 2 males, who were evacuated out of their caravans and taken to the gate house at Three Pools – no injuries were reported.
 
16h04: THREE ANCHOR BAY
NSRI TABLE BAY and NSRI Bakoven rescue swimmers responded following reports of a drowning in progress at the Three Anchor Bay slip way.
WC Government Health EMS – rescue squad and ambulance, the SA Police Services (SAPS), Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and CoCT Law Enforcement responded.
SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Dive Services) were placed on alert.
On arrival on the scene a 25 year old Johannesburg man was found safe on the shore but injured.
It appears he had been using a shower at the beach containers when storm surge waves swept up the beach slamming him against the wall. Eyewitnesses suggested he was helped by bystanders to escape the water.
The man was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition suffering hypothermia.
 
16h20: KNYSNA:
NSRI Knysna duty crew attended at the NSRI Knysna rescue station which was flooded during a storm surge.
2 NSRI rescue craft JayTee Rescuer IV and Katharine were removed from the rescue station to safe moorings.
NSRI Knysna volunteers are continuing with repairs and mopping up operations and NSRI Knysna volunteers remain on full operational readiness to respond to emergencies.
 
18h05, WILDERNESS:
NSRI Wilderness and the emergency services responded to Kaaimans following reports of a surfer knocked off his surfboard.
On arrival on the scene it was found that it was only an unmanned windsurf board had been swept out to sea.
NSRI Wilderness and Frontier Medix ambulance services then responded to Leentjiesklip, Wilderness Beach, where during a storm surge waves had penetrated a car park where an adult male had been swept under a vehicle, sustaining injuries, and a 93 year old female had been swept away at the car park.
Both were transported to hospital by Frontier Medix ambulance where sadly the lady was declared deceased.
Condolences are conveyed to family of the deceased lady.
 
MOSSEL BAY:
On Saturday during the afternoon NSRI Mossel Bay rescue station was flooded during a storm surge.
NSRI Mossel bay volunteers secured NSRI rescue craft preventing damage to resources and remained on alert to respond to emergencies.

JEFFREYS BAY:
On Saturday NSRI Jeffreys Bay moved rescue resources out of the NSRI Jeffreys Bay rescue station in preparation for pending storm surges.

Then an NSRI Jeffreys Bay crew volunteer assisted a surfer in difficulty at The Point.
The surfer was exhausted after appearing to have been caught in strong rip currents before washing onto the shoreline at The Point.
He was treated for hypothermia and exhaustion before being released requiring no further assistance.

At Aston Bay an NSRI Jeffreys Bay crew member assisted people at a bachelors / bachelorette party at the Aston Bay Causeway where their venue was swamped by the storm surge.
There were no injuries. 

KALK BAY:
NSRI were alerted on Saturday afternoon to The Brass Bell Restaurant swamped during a storm surge. Some patrons reportedly suffered minor injuries but NSRI were informed that no rescue assistance was required.

NORTH WEST PROVINCE:

14h11: HARTBEESPOORT DAM:
A boat, with a couple and their baby onboard, had reportedly hit a tree stump while underway in rough waters with in excess of 1 meter swells running in strong winds off-shore of Cabannas.
The NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam duty crew and SRU (Strategic Rescue Unit) were activated.
The NSRI rescue craft Sea Legs was launched.
On arrival on the scene we found the vessel had run aground, taking water and suffering motor mechanical failure.
The family were safe and not injured.
We towed them to Club Nautique where no further assistance was required after their vessel was recovered.
14h19: During the earlier call NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam reserve duty crew launched the rescue craft Rotary 25 to respond to a sailing yacht in difficulty.
On arrival on the scene the sailing yacht we found her sheets tied up by the strong winds and they had been unable to unpleat a foresail.
NSRI assisted to get them underway and no further assistance was required.

Sunday, 17 September:

WESTERN CAPE:
 
09h35: PLETTENBERG BAY:
NSRI Plettenberg Bay and Robberg Nature Reserve – Cape Nature – rangers were activated following reports of a hiker injured along the Robberg hiking trail near to The Point.
NSRI medics hiked to the scene and 2 NSRI rescue craft responded carrying additional gear with medical crew.
WC Government Health EMS Metro Control activated the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter.
On arrival on the scene a 34 year old American female tourist was treated for injuries sustained in a fall.
An off-duty doctor, who had been hiking on the Robberg trail, assisted NSRI medics on the scene.
An EMS rescue paramedic was deployed, by a winch, from the helicopter to the scene, where the patient was secured into a specialised stretcher and hoisted, secured into the stretcher, to a landing zone set up at the car park and she was transported to hospital for further care, expected to make a full recovery.
 
11h35: HERMANUS:
NSRI Hermanus duty crew activated to reports of a seal entangled in netting at Meerensee, Hermanus.
The Marine Animal Stranding Network were activated.
Later, following a drowning in progress at Onrus, NSRI crew attended at the seal entangled and the NSRI freed the seal from its entanglement and released the seal without further incident.
The operation completed at 14h51.
 
12h53: NSRI Hermanus rescue swimmers responded to Onrus where a former NSRI Hermanus crew member reported a drowning in progress.
An unidentified male, believed to be aged in his 40’s, reportedly fell into the sea.
2 bystander Good Samaritans, a male a female, used an NSRI pink rescue buoy to rescue the man safely to shore and he was not injured.
 
Sunday, 17 September:

KWAZULU-NATAL:
 
KZN SOUTH COAST:
During Sunday afternoon NSRI Shelly Beach were notified that Mariners Restaurant at Southbroom was flooded by a Storm Surge.
NSRI were notified that no water rescue assistance was required.
NSRI, in unconfirmed reports, believe that an NSRI pink rescue buoy had been used to assist a patron to safety.
It is reported that serious injuries had been sustained in that incident.
 
18h30: RICHARDS BAY:
NSRI Richards Bay, SA Police Services and City of uMhlathuze emergency services and authorities attended at Alkanstrand and Palm Beach that had been flooded during a storm surge.
Alkanstrand was closed and monitored, by authorities through the night, and damage was assessed by local authorities on Monday morning.
No injuries were reported.
 
Monday, 18 September:

WESTERN CAPE:
 
20h33: LANGEBAAN:
NSRI Mykonos were alerted to be on stand-by for a medical evacuation of an injured crewman from a motor vessel bulk carrier passing by Saldanha Bay.
 
On Tuesday, 19 September, at 00h19, NSRI Mykonos launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and rendezvoused with casualty vessel, 15 nautical miles offshore (20 nautical miles from NSRI Mykonos rescue station), where the 58 year old Filipino crewman was transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft and brought to our NSRI rescue station in the care of medics.
He was transported to hospital by West Coast Medical ambulance in a stable condition.
The operation completed at 03h05.
 
Tuesday, 19 September:
 
WESTERN CAPE:

00h09: MOSSEL BAY:
NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated to assist a yacht to reach the safety of the shelter at Santos basin.
The sailing yacht, taking part in a Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) Knysna Rally, with 4 adults and 2 children onboard, reported that shortly after departing RCYC they had noticed motor mechanical failure but had opted to continue sailing towards Knysna.
2 nautical miles offshore of The Point, Mossel Bay, experiencing little to no wind, in 3 to 4 meter swells, they required assistance, due to motor mechanical failure, to be towed to shelter from sea swells.
The NSRI Mossel Bay rescue craft St Blaise rescuer was launched and without incident we towed the yacht to the Bay in front of Santos to shelter.
The operation completed at 03h17.
 
EASTERN CAPE:

JEFFREYS BAY:
On Tuesday NSRI rescue swimmers responded to reports from a concerned public member of a female in the surf line at Secrets Beach.
On arrival on the scene the lady was encouraged to exit the water and NSRI Jeffreys Bay gave her a lift home and no further assistance was required