NSRI MEDIA RELEASE
PORT ALFRED:
Juan Pretorius, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:
At 17h27, Saturday, 31st December, NSRI Port Alfred were alerted to 2 common dolphins that had swum upstream of the Bushmans River raising concerns by members of the public to the well-being of the animals.
Bayworld was alerted and they advised that the 2 dolphins be left alone and we suspect that both dolphins returned to sea during the night.
At 10h41, Sunday, 01 January, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew dispatched the sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha following reports of a drowning in progress at West Beach.
An Environmental patrol boat, in the area at the time, rescued two men from the water 100 meters off-shore of West Beach and we rendezvoused with them as they were bringing the two patients, both aged in their 20’s, into the harbour and we were met in the harbour by the SA Police Services, Holistic ambulance services, Guardmed ambulance services and Ndlambe Traffic Services and one male was declared deceased and the second male was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and he has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.
The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police opened an inquest docket.
At 12h30, Sundy, 01 January, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew dispatched a sea rescue vehicle and the sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha to Kasouga Beach, West of Port Alfred, following reports of a drowning in progress.
On arrival on the scene we found a 65 year old male, from Motherwell, who had been rescued by bystanders from rip currents and a United Kingdom doctor, Dr. Tim Sephter, on holiday from the U.K. Had initiated Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts and joined by paramedics from Holistic ambulance services after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted he was declared deceased on the scene.
The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police opened an inquest docket.
Then at 18h03, Sunday, 01 January, we responded to East Beach following reports of 2 men on a jet-ski who had found the body of an adult man floating face down in the surf. They had brought the man ashore and had initiated Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts and joined by our NSRI medics and then by paramedics from Holistic ambulance services and after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted he was declared deceased on the scene.
The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police opened an inquest docket.
JEFFREYS BAY:
Ernie Schmidt, NSRI Jeffreys Bay deputy station commander, said:
At 10h19, Sunday, 01 January, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew dispatched a sea rescue vehicle and rescue swimmers to Kabeljous Lagoon Beach following reports of a drowning in progress.
An EC Government Health EMS ambulance and an EMS rescue helicopter and the SA Police Services responded.
On arrival on the scene we found a doctor and a nurse, who happened to be on the beach at the time, conducting Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts on a 54 year old man from Port Elizabeth.
An EMS doctor from the EMS helicopter assisted with CPR but after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted he was declared deceased on the scene.
The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.
An additional 3 patients, an adult man and a 16 year old male and a 15 year old male, were treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and transported to hospital by ambulance in stable conditions.
It appears that a family including the deceased 54 year old man, his brother in law and 2 nephews were swept out to sea by rip currents.
A British couple on holiday, Carl Grey, and his wife Magdelaine, assisted to rescue them from the surf and while assisting they were assisted by Kouga lifeguards who had responded to assist.
The British couple, Carl and Magdelaine Grey and the unidentified doctor and Nurse are commended for their actions.
Rieghard Janse van Rensburg, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, said:
At 16h35, Sunday, 01 January, we noticed Kouga lifeguards appearing to be rescuing a group of people at Pellsrus beach next to our sea rescue station.
We responded to assist and found that a 27 year old man from Uitenhage was rescued by lifeguards and by members of the public who assisted and he was transported to hospital by Private Care ambulance in a stable condition after we assisted to transport him from the beach to the roadway by our NSRI Quad Bike.
At 16h45, Sunday, 01 January, we were activated following reports of a non-fatal drowning at Kitchens Window where a 38 year old male from Uitenhage was rescued from the surf by lifeguards and members of the public.
EC Government Health EMS and Private Care ambulance services joined NSRI and lifeguards on the beach and he was transported to hospital by Private Care ambulance in a stable condition after we assisted to transport him from the beach to the roadway by our NSRI Quad Bike.
Then at t 17h18, Sunday, 01 January,  Kouga Lifeguards requested NSRI Jeffreys Bay assistance where a adult man collapsed unconscious at Kitchens Window car park.
It is suspected that he suffered a heart attack.
The SA Police Services, EC Government Health EMS joined NSRI on the scene but the man was declared deceased and a funeral service have taken the body of the deceased man into their care.
Then at 17h40, Sunday, 01 January, a 13 year old male arrived at our sea rescue station suffering a severe laceration to his left foot.
Our NSRI medics treated the laceration and a WC Government Health EMS ambulance transported the teenager to hospital for sutures.
We also dealt with 6 cases of lost children on the beach today. 5 were reunited with family and 1 was taken into the care of the SA Police Services and handed into the care of child care.
