Three swept from Butt cat as wave hits
Crew members safe and sound after NSRI, Gardmed, police assist at East Beach rescue
Even experienced sailors can have problems, as skipper Jurie Swart discovered on Sunday when three members of his six-person crew fell overboard when his boat was swamped by a wave at East Beach in Port Alfred.
NSRI Port Alfred deputy station commander Stephen Slade reported the incident.
“At 7.12am on Sunday January 13, NSRI Station 11 Port Alfred, Gardmed Ambulance Services and the SA Police Services responded to East Beach where some of the crew of a 6m Buttcat boat had reportedly fallen out of the boat in the surf when the craft had attempted to turn into the waves,” read Slade’s report.
The sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha was launched.
“Of a total crew of six, all adult males, that were on the boat, three had fallen out the boat when the boat turned in a wave,” reported Slade.
“One man had been recovered onto the boat. One man had reached the pier and was able to reach safety. One man was rescued onto the sea rescue craft.
“The casualty craft beached on East Beach and was later recovered with the assistance of a breakdown recovery service.
“Two men were treated for injuries, the man who had reached the pier and the man who was rescued by the NSRI, were both treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms, scrapes and bruises, and transported to the hospital by Gardmed ambulance in a stable condition.”