Notices
The CWR squad was activated on Wednesday 05 Feb 2020 following reports of a drowning in progress at the Redhouse Yacht Club.
On arrival it was established that there was a delay in reporting, and that the incident occurred more than 30mins prior to the activation notice.
Swimmers from the CWR squad were deployed into the water, after a water search they located and retrieve the casualty from the water and handed the scene over to EMS and the SAPS.
Services on Scene: Coastal Water Rescue, EMS, SAPS, SAPS Dive Unit, Beach Office, NSRI
On Saturday 01 Feb 2020 at 14:19 the CWR squad was activated following reports of a boat that capsized in the Swartkops River Mouth. On arrival of the first members on scene was it found that the casualties on the boat had made it safely to shore and that no further assistance was required, and a stand down was issued to the squad.
Members from the BWBLSC were on scene and assisted the skipper and crew to retrieve the boat and get it onto the trailer.
Services on Scene: BWBLSC, Coastal Water Rescue
This morning the CWR squad was activated at 10:35 following reports from WERC (Water Emergency Rescue Committee) that there were two swimmers in trouble at Maitlands.
Shortly after the activation did we receive further information that both swimmers were assisted by friends/bystanders and made it safely to shore.
A stand-down was issued to the squad as no further action was needed.
On Wednesday 08 Jan 2020 the CWR squad was activated at 18H36 following reports of a drowning in progress at Wells Estate. Initial reports were that there were two casualties with one out of the water undergoing CPR and the second one missing.
Further information received was that 3 people were swimming but had got into trouble in the surf. A 4th person on shore noticed this and went into the water to assist them, but he also got into trouble. Of the group of 4 people, only one made it safely to shore, and there were two casualties still missing.
Our first members on the scene proceeded to assist the lifeguards with the CPR in progress, but unfortunately, the extensive CPR effort was not successful.
Visually the conditions looked good, but there were very strong rip currents at this location. The rest of the squad on scene joined swimmers from BWBLSC and started a water search by forming a chain to perform a methodical search of the surf area. The Beach Office and NSRI launched their IRB's to assist with searching beyond the breakers.
After searching for approximately an hour the search was called off due to fading light.
Services on Scene:
CWR, BWBLSC, SAPS Dive Unit, SAPS S&R, Beach Office, NSRI, EMS
Yesterday, 25 Dec 2019 the CWR squad was activated at 17:16 following reports of a drowning in progress in the Swartkops River mouth. According to eyewitness reports two adult males were in the water in the river next to the BWBLSC clubhouse when they got into trouble, the eyewitness saw them disappear and raised the alarm.
At the time members of the BWBLSC were busy in the clubhouse and immediately responded, and notified the rest of the emergency services via the WERC (Water Emergency Rescue Committee) group.
Jetskis from BWBLSC and Beach Office were deployed to assist with the search.
On arrival, the CWR squad members joined the search, but after an extensive search of 1 hour the search was called off due to the fading light.
Services on scene: CWR, BWBLSC, SAPS Divers, Beach Office
On Wednesday 27 November at 15h22 a notice was received from the Water Emergency Rescue Committee of a drowning that occurred in the Motherwell area.
The squad was not activated due to the time of the call (the call to the emergency services was only made approximately an hour after the incident). Two squad members attended the scene to offer assistance to the other emergency services.
A group of young children were swimming in an irrigation pond next to the Addo road using polystyrene for flotation, when one of the children fell off, and disappeared under water.
The SAPS divers, after a long underwater search, recovered the body of the young casualty.
Services on scene: SAPS Divers, Fire Department, EMS, SAPS Sector Vehicle, BWBLSC
On Wednesday 27 November, while on scene in Motherwell, another report was received of a drowning that had occurred near Kwanobuhle. From info received, it appeared that a group of children had walked approximately 1.5km's up the dry riverbed from Kwanobuhle to the waterhole to swim. One of the children got into trouble and disappeared under water.
Our members proceeded to the location, in Rocklands, to observe the terrain and conditions in order to plan for a recovery. Access was granted onto private land by the land owner, who accompanied the SAPS Divers and our 4x4 vehicles to the nearest vehicle accessible point at the swimming hole, from where it was a 100m walk down a very steep slope to access the water hole at the bottom.
Specialist rigging equipment was required and a recovery could not be attempted at the time. The SAPS Divers planned to do the recovery on Thursday 28 November.
Services on scene: SAPS Divers, Coastal Water Rescue (Prior SAPS Kwanobuhle, EMS Rescue)
On Thursday 7 November the CWR squad was activated following a report of a possible drowning in progress at Kings Beach, near the harbour wall. The lifeguards from Beach Office were also responding. On route CWR were notified that the casualty was out of the water, and was being transported to the medical room at Kings Beach for medical attention. A stand down was issued to the squad.
Services on Scene: Beach Office, Coastal Water Rescue, SAPS Dive Unit, EMS
