Sunday, August 25, 2013

Two men rescued in Hermanus

Mluleki Mrwebi
25 August 2013

National Sea Rescue Institute in Hermanus and volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of two men being swept out to sea at Fisherhaven lagoon mouth.

The two men were paddling on a double kayak when rip-currents, in the Spring Tide, sucked them out the lagoon mouth and into the wave line where they capsized.

NSRI Spokeperson Craig Lambinon said one man, Gareth Woods, 34 year-old, from Pinelands, managed to get to shore and was helped out of the water by Law Enforcement officers and despite some mild hypothermia he was not injured. The second man was swept out to sea beyond the breaker line.

"We dispatched our rescue swimmers, our sea rescue craft was towed to the scene, the Red Cross AMS Skymed helicopter was activated and WC Government Health EMS and the SA Police Services responded to join Law Enforcement officers who were already on the scene” said Lambinon.

He further said on arrival on-scene the man, Paul van Rensburg, 35, from Pinelands, who was wearing a life-jacket, could be seen struggling against strong rip-currents beyond the breaker line in rough seas.

"Prior to our sea rescue boat or Skymed's arrival on-scene a current swept the man closer towards shore, and when he was about 80 meters from the shore we dispatched two NSRI rescue swimmers, Josh Henn and Andre Barnard, to swim out to the man. They reached him and secured the casualty but a rip-current then swept all three further out to sea” added Lambinon.

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