UPDATE: Mossel Bay Weather, Emergency and Disaster Observation Alert 2013/2014: SEA RESCUE – NSRI – STATION 23, Wilderness.

At 16h23, Friday, 27th December, NSRI Wilderness responded to the Wilderness beachfront, in front of The wilderness Beach Hotel, following multiple calls from eye-witnesses reporting 3 people being swept out to sea by rip currents. NSRI Wilderness rescue swimmers, WC Government Health EMS, SA National Parks rangers and ER24 ambulance services responded. On arrival all 3 people were on the beach. 2 off duty NSRI volunteers from another sea rescue station had assisted the 3 casualty's who had managed to get out of the surf unassisted. A 42 year old man from Upington was transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition for observation for near drowning symptoms. A 19 year old male and a 13 year old male, the man's sons, were not injured.

At 12h00, Saturday, 28th December, NSRI Wilderness responded to Wilderness Beach following reports of a male and a female being swept out to sea. Lifeguards and ER24 ambulance services also responded and on arrival on-scene a 22 year old Pretoria female and a 17 year old Johannesburg male were found on the beach. The male had managed to get out of the water without assistance. The female was rescued out of the water by a crewman of a Trans Agulhas race boat. Dreyer van Niekerk, had by pure coincidence, beached his Trans Agulhas boat to effect repairs to his boat during the Trans Agulhas boat race when he noticed the two persons being swept out to sea at the same place. Dreyer swam out and rescued the 22 year old female. Both casualties were checked on the beach by paramedics, both were warned of secondary drowning symptoms but they have chosen not to be taken to hospital. Dreyer is commended for his rescue effort.

   -ENDS-

 Released by:

Craig Lambinon
NSRI