The National Sea Rescue Institute were kept busy over the
Easter weekend with three incidents along the Hangklip-Kleinmond coastline.
The NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated at 07:18 on
Friday 2 April following reports of a drowning in progress at Rooi Els. Tania
Meiring, NSRI Kleinmond duty coxswain, says eyewitnesses reported that two
males with a floatation device were seen struggling in the water for over 45
minutes.
“While responding to the scene it was confirmed that a
private boat with three local men on board had launched to go to the assistance
of the two casualties. The crew on the private boat had taken the NSRI pink
rescue buoy from the Rooi Els slipway with them,” said Meiring.
William Boltmann (36) who has a holiday house in Rooi Els,
his brother Richard (32) and their friend Francois Koekemoer (46) were
reportedly preparing to go crayfishing on their five metre rigid hull
inflatable boat (RHIB) when they were informed by an NSRI coast watcher of two
males from Kuils River, aged 27 and 19, who had been swept off rocks while
crayfishing.
Strong winds hampered their efforts to throw the rescue buoy
to the men in difficulty. “William then jumped into the water armed with the
pink rescue buoy. He got the buoy to one of the casualties and the crew on the
boat pulled him to the boat and he was rescued,” said Meiring. “William then
swam the rescue buoy to the second casualty, and he was also pulled onto the
boat and rescued.”
The men were taken to the slipway where GB Med Sec
paramedics treated them for non-fatal drowning symptoms and hypothermia.
“The NSRI commends the swift action of William Boltmann, his
brother Richard, and their friend Francois Koekemoer, who contributed to saving
the lives of the two casualties,” said Meiring.
Later that day the NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated
at 14:35 to assist four men from Wellington on a kreefbakkie (small open
fishing boat) who reportedly suffered engine failure offshore of Rooi Els.
Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, reports
that the vessel’s anchor hadn’t reached the seabed as the water was too deep,
causing them to drift. Meiklejohn says, while the sea rescue craft Spirit of
Surfski was on its way to the scene, they were informed that the men had
managed to start the small craft’s motor.
The NSRI continued and met up with them offshore of Kogel
Baai where their engine had failed again. “We towed the small fishing boat with
the dad, his two sons and a male friend to Harbour Island where their boat was
recovered and they required no further assistance,” said Meiklejohn.
The NSRI Gordons Bay duty were activated early the next
morning after a coast watcher reported witnessing a capsized boat drifting
offshore of Maas Baai, Hangklip.
“NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were also activated and the
EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was placed on alert, said Meiklejohn. “Our sea
rescue craft Spirit of Surfski was prepared to be launched and NSRI Kleinmond
launched their NSRI jet rib, and their sea rescue craft Jaytee III.
“An off-duty NSRI Gordons Bay crewman who was fishing in the
area on a sea kayak paddled out to the capsized boat and he was able to find a
boat name and registration number for the boat on the boat’s fire
extinguisher.”
This information was relayed to the South African Maritime Safety
Authority (SAMSA) who were able to establish a contact number for the owner.
On contacting the owner, he confirmed that he and a crewman
were able to get safely ashore after they had capsized the Friday at 18:00.
They had alerted the Police to the capsizing.
NSRI Kleinmond towed the casualty craft to shore where it
was recovered by the owner.