All rescues at sea over the past three days could have been fatal. One was.
The full moon spring tide peaks on Tuesday and the NSRI has warned swimmers‚ fishermen‚ boaters‚ paddlers‚ surfers‚ sail boarders and coastal hikers to be extra until the end of this week.
On New Year’s Eve a man (50) died after the small boat carrying the family of six and a small dog capsized in the St Francis harbour mouth.
Despite the calm sea it appears that a wave tipped their boat‚ Blue Dolphin‚ over.
The boat was washed up on rocks and a private boat had rescued the 50-year-old‚ his son‚ granddaughter‚ grandson and a Yorkie dog.
His wife and her daughter had made it to rocks where members of the public assisted them.
NSRI medics and doctor performed CPR on the 50-year-old man but was then declared deceased.
Also on New Year’s Eve:
* The NSRI rescued a man on a dinghy off-shore from Simon’s Town harbour. He was treated for hypothermia.
* Four men from Kimberley were rescued by private boats at the Haartenbos River Mouth when their boat capsized. The NSRI towed their boat to Mossel Bay harbour.
* The NSRI and a private boat rescued two men from Knysna when their boat’s motor caught fire.
On Saturday:
*Two women were rescued after a resident in a high-rise building on Gordon’s Bay beachfront saw them being swept out to sea on a blow-up plastic “boat” and alerted the NSRI.
A paddler on a sea-kayak had also seen the 24-year-old and mother‚ from Strand and Gordon’s Bay‚ being swept out to sea and went to their rescue. He towed them to shore where NSRI rescue swimmers help them out the last few metres.
* A swimmer in her 20s about 50m from the shore near Bakoven became hypothermic. City of Cape Town municipal lifeguards swam out to her and the NSRI rescue craft picked her up. She was treated by medics and taken to a local hospital.
Source: TMG Digital.