NSRI crews report busy weekend

NSRI crews were kept busy over the weekend.

In Hout Bay, the duty crew was dispatched on Saturday evening to aid a yacht experiencing trouble.

“At 5.24pm on Saturday, we were activated to assist the 36-foot yacht Galileo, with six crew on board, three males and three females, reporting their motor to be overheating after departing Hout Bay earlier, headed to Cape Town,” Sven Gussenhoven, NSRI Hout Bay duty coxswain, said.

“The sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews were launched and we rendezvoused with the yacht between Vulcan Rock and The Sentinel, offshore of Hout Bay.

“In windless conditions, they were using their motor which started to overheat, forcing them to turn around.

“The NSRI towed them to their moorings in Hout Bay harbour without incident. Once safely moored, no further assistance was required,” he said.

In Witsand, NSRI crews were left stumped after a red distress flare was picked up at 12.30am on Saturday, but they were unable to pick up the reason for the distress.

Theo Erasmus, NSRI Witsand Port Beaufort station commander, said following reports of a red distress flare observed in the vicinity of the San Sebastion Bay, “a search of the slipway launching sites was conducted to see if there were any trailers parked that may indicate any craft not returned.

“The sea rescue craft Breede Rescuer was launched to conduct a search of the bay area. Despite an extensive search, nothing was found and there remains

36FT YACHT TOWED TO MOORINGS IN HOUT BAY AFTER MOTOR OVERHEATED

no report of anyone or any craft overdue or missing.

“Breede Rescuer returned to base and the station closed down during the early hours of the morning… the origin and the reasons for the red distress flare activation remains a mystery.”

The NSRI crew in Plettenberg Bay responded to a call from the Robberg Nature Reserve on Saturday where an 18-year-old female hiker from Cape Town suffered a knee injury while hiking with her family.

“A land rescue party hiked to rendezvous with the casualty and the sea rescue craft Leonard Smith and Free Runner were launched and NSRI crew were put ashore at Wildside and met up with the casualty being attended to by NSRI medics,” Robbie Gibson, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said.

“The right knee, suspected to be injured from strained ligaments possibly from a previous injury, was splinted and we transported the patient and her mom to our sea rescue station .

“The patient was released later from hospital with a knee brace support,” Gibson said.