Local angler rescued after being pinned by boulder

Update

KNYSNA NEWS – A 41-year-old angler from Knysna was lucky to escape with his life last week after he survived having a boulder fall on top of him after falling into a shallow rock pool.

His rescue by NSRI Knysna, police and EMS on Sunday 11 June brought to an end his ordeal that lasted roughly 20 hours.

When NSRI Knysna received the call from a Noetzie resident at 15:56 on Saturday 10 June they could have been forgiven for thinking someone was playing a twisted game of broken telephone.

They were informed by a resident, who had been informed by a car attendant that had been informed by a fisherman that there was a local angler lying injured somewhere in the Noetzie vicinity, urgently requiring medical care.

Very little info on hand

Little was known about the man's condition or his location, other than that he was pinned down by a boulder and was in the Noetzie area.

While on their way to the scene, NSRI Knysna Station 12 Commander, Jerome Simonis, requested that the resident kindly ask the car attendant to go back to the area where the fisherman had been injured, and to return with further information about his condition and to possibly provide a better idea of his location.

NSRI Knysna meanwhile notified and activated all duty crew, as well as WC Government Health EMS – ambulance and rescue, Knysna Fire & Rescue Department, police and their search and rescue teams.

NSRI's Emergency Operations Centre was notified and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was requested to be placed on standby by Metro EMS control. In addition, the NSRI rescue craft JayTee IV was launched with three NSRI rescue swimmers and an NSRI rescue vehicle responded.

Finally receiving information

The car attendant had returned to Noetzie by the time the NSRI crews arrived, and was able to provide a better indication of the angler's location, injuries, and how he found himself in this predicament.

According to the information provided, the angler had grabbed onto a large rock whilst attempting to climb over the rocks.

The rock then dislodged, and the man fell backwards into a rock pool with the large rock landing on top of him. He was unable to move after suffering injuries.

An unidentified fisherman had come across the injured man who was lying in the rock pool and then reportedly managed to roll the boulder off the man before heading towards Noetzie to raise the alarm [with the car attendant].

Getting to the angler

The car attendant then made his way back to the injured man with a reflective vest in order to help rescue crews find the location of the injured fisherman.

As if conditions weren't already challenging enough, communications were hampered by the fact that there can at times be no cellphone signal at Noetzie.

As a result initial communications were relayed from the crew on the beach to the NSRI rescue craft and to the NSRI Knysna rescue base.

NSRI Knysna also requested the assistance of Knysna resident, search and rescue pilot Greg Johnson, of Savannah Helicopters.

"At that stage the NSRI crew onboard the rescue craft spotted smoke coming from a fire that had been started by the car attendant in his efforts to attract the attention of the NSRI crew on the rescue craft," explained NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.

Three NSRI rescue swimmers were dispatched from the craft to try and access the angler, swimming medical equipment to the shoreline on a floating stretcher. They hiked along the rocks to reach the man, and found him to be injured, free from the boulder but at risk of the rising tide.

The angler was treated for hypothermia and injuries, and once stabilised he was carried away from the danger of the incoming tide.

Medical treatment amidst fading light

Two EMS rescue paramedics and three police search and rescue officers reached the scene and paramedics continued with medical treatment to the 41-year-old angler, who was in good spirits by this time.

"Additional NSRI rescue swimmers were requested due to considerations being made to transport the patient to safety by sea," said Lambinon.

By the time the additional swimmers arrived it was well dark and an illumination flare had to be set off to illuminate the area to assist the two rescue swimmers through the breaking swell. While there were efforts to bring the angler back to Noetzie the rescue was abandoned for the time being due to the lack of light and barely accessible terrain.

The two EMS rescue paramedics would remain with the angler for the night with the EMS/AMS Skymed Helicopter set to be dispatched at first light on Sunday morning.

"The EMS rescue paramedics continued to monitor the patient throughout the night and provide medical care," Lambinon said.

The EMS/AMS Skymed Rescue Helicopter had to land on Noetzie Beach. Photos: NSRI Knysna/Facebook

A successful Sunday rescue

At first light on Sunday NSRI Knysna rescue crew set up a landing zone on Noetzie Beach for the helicopter, which arrived on scene at 08:00. The angler was secured in a specialised stretcher, and after being carried to the beach, was hoisted into the helicopter.

"Following additional medical care the patient was airlifted to hospital by Skymed in a stable condition for further medical care."

Lambinon commended the fisherman who found the angler, the car attendant, the resident who called NSRI and all rescuers involved for saving the fisherman's life.

NSRI Knysna's Jaytee IV craft was one of those used during the rescue. Photo: Blake Linder