GEORGE NEWS - Two men were saved from a rip current in Wilderness by NSRI volunteers yesterday, Sunday 10 December.
NSRI lifesavers alerted their duty crew about two men in trouble in the water at Wilderness main beach at 10:44. Two lifeguards reached the casualties, aged 21 and 25, who are both on a church excursion to the coast from Pretoria.
A lifeguard used a rescue torpedo buoy to bring one of the casualties to shore, while a lifeguard took care of the other casualty in the surf line until he could be assisted by an NSRI rescue swimmer.
Both patients were treated at the beach for non-fatal drowning symptoms and required no further medical attention.
Spring tide warning
The NSRI appeals to bathers, boaters, paddlers, sailors, anglers and coastal hikers to be cautious around the coastline as the new moon spring tide increases toward the peak of spring tide on Wednesday 13 December. The new moon spring tide phase will last into the coming weekend.
According to NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon, the two daily high tides and the two daily low tides may experience stronger than normal rip currents at places around the coastline.
Please only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards.
Inland water users are also urged to be cautious - although not affected by spring tide on inland waters, the increase in water-related emergencies is concerning. The NSRI appeals to everyone in and around coastal and inland waterways to keep safety top of mind.
Police investigating distress flare
Police are investigating and following up on leads related to a red distress flare that appears to have been activated from the shoreline west of Kleinkrantz on Thursday 7 December.
"NSRI Wilderness and the emergency services, with the cooperation of the George ski-boat club, were alerted at 20:26 after eyewitnesses reported seeing the 1 000-foot parachute red distress flare high over the surf line east of the NSRI Wilderness rescue station," said Wilderness NSRI's station commander, Mike Vonk.
"An extensive search and investigations were conducted until 21:15 when it was determined, from additional eyewitness reports, that the flare had appeared to be discharged from the shoreline."
The NSRI and George municipal authorities monitored the area over the weekend but it appears that the flare may have been discharged without emergency intent.
"We are appealing to the public to refrain from setting off red distress flares unless in a life-threatening emergency. The illegal discharge of red distress flares is an offence that carries legal consequences," said Vonk.
NSRI commend the assistance of George ski-boat club members and George municipal authorities, who together with NSRI Wilderness and the emergency services, went out of their way to help determine whether any sailors, boaters or paddlers were overdue or missing.
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