Surf-skier saved after capsizing in squall

A 47-YEAR-OLD surf-skier was rescued 3km offshore after his craft capsized and he was swept out to sea.

NSRI Simon’s Town commander Darren Zimmerman said emergency services were activated after three fellow paddlers raised the alarm. The four had gone on a downwind paddle.

“They had tried to locate their friend who was separated from them while paddling, but after not finding him they raised the alarm.

“Our network of coast watchers were alerted and almost immediately reported red distress flare sightings offshore between Simon’s Town and Miller’s Point,” Zimmerman said yesterday.

After reports confirmed additional red distress flare sightings about 3km out to sea, a compass bearing on flare sighting was relayed to the NSRI operations room and the sea rescue craft headed in that direction, he said.

“A member of the public using binoculars had sighted the paddler in distress, but in the rough sea, sight of the paddler was lost behind swells.

“The sea rescue craft, moving in line with the compass bearing provided by the coast watcher, arrived on the scene and following a brief search a 47-year-old local man was found gradually being swept further out to sea by an offshore wind after capsizing his surf-ski,” Zimmerman said.

The man was treated for hypothermia and an arm injury after he and his craft were taken on board the NSRI rescue boat.

OUR NETWORK OF COAST WATCHERS WERE ALERTED AND REPORTED RED DISTRESS FLARE SIGHTINGS OFFSHORE

“His wife came to collect him and she took him to the Constantiaberg Mediclinic to have his arm looked at. The man had capsized after a squall, and on capsizing injured his arm, which prevented him from getting back into his surf-ski, and he drifted, staying with his surf-ski, and set off flares.

“His friends who had been a bit ahead of him had turned around to search for him, but not being able to find him in the big sea swells, they raced to shore to raise the alarm,” said Zimmerman

The NSRI commended the coast watchers who were able to quickly pinpoint the position of the red flares, as well as community members who called in the distress flare sightings.