PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The Plettenberg Bay sea rescue siren echoed through the town twice over the past week, calling its volunteers into action.
The most recent incident involved a surf-skier who suffered hypothermia after finding himself in difficulty in the Keurbooms River Mouth on Wednesday 12 August.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander Ross Badenhorst said a bystander alerted them to the incident at about 10:50.
"The NSRI crew were dispatched to look out from an elevated position and while responding, the bystander confirmed that she could see a man in the water appearing to be in distress waving his arms to attract attention," Badenhorst said.
"They then launched their sea rescue craft but while responding, the bystander confirmed that the surf-skier, a 39-year-old Cape Town man, had reached the shore safely."
When the crew arrived on the scene they found the man safe, but hypothermic. He was taken on board one of the rescue craft and brought to the sea rescue station where he was treated for hypothermia.
The crew also located and recovered his surf-ski in the water and took it to where the man had borrowed it earlier.
"It appears he may have capsized in the surf and swam ashore. Once the man rewarmed, he required no further assistance, but we advised him to see a doctor if required."
Badenhorst commended the bystanders who raised the alarm.
A few days earlier, on Saturday 8 August at about 12:20, the crew launched into action after receiving reports from hikers that a 55-year-old man had suffered an ankle injury at Robberg Point along the Robberg Nature Reserve.
NSRI Plett station commander Marc Rodgers said fellow hikers reportedly tried to assist the man by carrying him, but were unable to continue.
The crew launched their sea rescue craft and CapeNature officers were placed on alert. When the crew arrived ashore, the man was loaded onto a stretcher and transferred onto the sea rescue craft. "We brought the man to our NSRI sea rescue station and family members took him to hospital for X-rays," Rodgers said.
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