Notice

24Sep2021 - Swept out to sea

On Friday 24 September the CWR squad received a call from a concerned person saying that they heard somebody calling for help from the Swartkops River Mouth. We immediately contacted BWBLSC Rescue who was also aware of this. The Water Emergency Response Committee was notified at the same time.

The CWR squad was activated to respond to the river mouth. On arrival, one person was found stuck on one of the pylons and additional information that there were three people and a small dinghy had capsized and one person had been swept out to sea.

BWBLSC launched their inflatable boat and with a CWR member as a crewman they went to retrieve the person still on the pylon. It was then established that there were three people on the pylon, two of them wanted to return to shore with the dinghy but just after setting off they capsized due to the wake caused by two large rubber ducks moving towards the mouth at speed.

The one casualty managed to make it to shore, but the other, who was stuck in the fast-flowing channel was being swept out to sea.

A shore search was initiated between BWB Rescue and CWR members, and NSRI's assistance was requested.

NSRI launched their brand new Rescue 6A craft from the harbour and also responded via road. On Rescue 6A's arrival they started a search pattern as close to shore as they could, and within 5 minutes of starting the search they came across the casualty in the water. She was severely hyperthermic and Rescue 6A returned to their harbour base at speed where she was handed over to EMS for further treatment.

Services on Scene: Coastal Water Rescue, BWBLSC, BWB Rescue, SAPS Dive Unit, SAPS Sector Vehicle, Beach Office, NSRI