KNYSNA NEWS - While holiday makers were enjoying their summer holiday, the Knysna NSRI crew were kept busy ensuring that all water users in the area remained safe over the festive season.
Knysna NSRI duty crew were activated at 12:40 on December 20 following reports of a catamaran ski-boat capsized in the Knysna Heads. The duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Jaytee III Colorpress Rescuer and Spirit of KYC.
The catamaran, with four people onboard (believed to be locals), a male, his wife, their son (24) and a male friend (20), capsized in the Knysna Heads. Two private boats that were in the area at the time, rescued all four from the water and brought them safely ashore.
ER24 and WC Government Health EMS paramedics treated the mother for a laceration to her arm and the 20 year old male for near drowning symptoms before transporting them to hospital for further treatment.
NSRI Knysna towed the capsized boat to the jetty in Knysna Lagoon where the owner will attempt to salvage his craft.
The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) requested assistance from NSRI Knysna duty crew at 19:00, Sunday, December 21, by) following a distress call from the fishing trawler Dodeka, with 15 crew onboard.
The vessel was 10 nautical miles off-shore of Knysna, and reported motor propeller damage and was adrift at sea in 60 meters depth which made deploying their anchor impossible.
NSRI Mossel Bay were placed on alert and arrangements were made for a Viking fishing trawler, Sisters, to take Dodeka under tow and tow the stricken trawler to Mossel Bay.
The NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated at 14:15, Monday, December 22, following a request for assistance from the 42 foot yacht Mohon Mara, with three crew members onboard, (all 22 year old males). They were sailing from Cape Town to Richards Bay and reported propeller shaft damage and needed assistance through the Knysna Heads as well as to a berthing in Knysna Lagoon.
NSRI Knysna dispatched their sea rescue craft Colorpress Rescuer and Jaytee III and on arrival on-scene, 1 nautical mile outside the Knysna Heads, Colorpress Rescuer took the yacht under tow, towing them safely through the Knysna Heads and to a safe berth at the Knysna Yacht Club.
One of the yachtsman’s leg was in cast after reportedly fracturing it when he fell off the dock onto the yacht while they were in Mossel Bay.
The yachtsmen repaired the propeller shaft in Knysna before continuing on their voyage.
After a ski-boat broke its mooring in the Knysna Estuary, the NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated at 07:56, Friday, December 26, to round up the unmanned ski-boat that was being swept away at Fountain Point in the Knysna Heads.
NSRI Knysna launched the sea rescue craft Jaytee III and took the boat under tow safely to her berthing without incident.
Sandboarding incident between Sedgefield and Wilderness
While on active duty at Sea Rescue Wilderness base the NSRI Wilderness duty crew were approached by a father, Dr Stefan Schoeman, from Waverley in Pretoria at 15:20, Saturday, December 27, reporting his 13 year old son having fractured both the Tibia and Fibula in his leg while Skim Boarding on sand dunes 4kms East of the NSRI Wilderness Sea Rescue Station.
NSRI Wilderness dispatched the Discovery Quad Bike and the sea rescue 4x4 vehicle and WC Government Health EMS were activated.
The father had splinted his child’s leg using sticks before going for help. On the NSRI’s arrival, assisted by Dr Schoeman, NSRI medics re splinted the leg, the teenager was stabilised and loaded onto the sea rescue vehicle and transported over sand dunes to the sea rescue station and an EMS ambulance transported him to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment.
The NSRI Wilderness, Sedgefield Fire and Rescue Services, SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS and the Red Cross AMS Skymed rescue helicopter responded to Platbank Beach, Sedgefield around 15:10 following reports of three male teenagers being swept out to sea.
On arrival at the scene two teenagers were found safe on the beach, injury-free after managing to get out of the surf safely, but a 17 year-old local male remains missing and despite an extensive search no sign of the teenager has been found.
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