KNYSNA NEWS - A Pretoria man was rescued on Monday morning, 28 April, after getting into difficulty while paddling near the Knysna Heads.

According to NSRI Knysna station commander Jerome Simonis, the station's duty crew were activated at 08:38 following reports from eyewitnesses who saw the man struggling in the water. 

The NSRI launched their rescue craft, JayTee IV, while shore crew maintained a visual on the casualty from a lookout point.

When they reached the paddler, an NSRI rescue swimmer went into the surf to assist him. Despite challenging conditions and a retreating tide, the crew managed to safely recover both the man and his surf-ski.

The paddler was brought ashore at the Knysna lagoon and, fortunately, did not require any medical assistance.

The NSRI has praised the swift action of bystanders in reporting the incident and reminded paddlers to always ensure they are properly equipped and monitored when venturing into open water.

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