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divers are continuing an ongoing search for a 16-year-old boy from George that went missing yesterday afternoon, November 27, in the sea at Wilderness Beach.
NSRI Wilderness and the WC Government Health EMS rescue squad are assisting police divers in their ongoing search on today.
According to NSRI Wilderness station commander, Mike Vonk, on Saturday morning at approximately 10:00, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were alerted to
reports of a drowning in progress at Leentjiesklip. While resources were responding, it was reported that a swimmer who had been in
difficulty in the surf was safely out of the water and no further assistance
was required.
"Our NSRI Wilderness crew was activated at 18h13, Saturday, November 26, to
respond to Myoli Beach where a whale calf was reported to have beached. On arrival on the scene a whale calf was located in shallow water on the beach.
Members of the public had attempted to return the calf into the water.
Unfortunately, the newborn Bryde’s whale did not survive," Vonk said.
"The carcass was recovered to above the high-water mark. SA National Parks are arranging disposal of the whale carcass," he added.
In a separate incident yesterday morning, NSRI Wilderness was also alerted to a penguin reportedly entangled in fishing gear at Gerickes Point, Sedgefield. The
Marine Animal Stranding Network was notified and the penguin has been
disentangled and recovered for rehabilitation by marine personnel.
At noon yesterday, while conducting
routine training exercises, the crew was once again alerted to a woman caught in a rip current at
Wilderness Beach.
"An NSRI lifeguard, using an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, and an NSRI rescue swimmer
deployed into the surf. A public member had also launched into the surf. The public member reached the girl first and he was able to bring her towards
the beach where the NSRI lifeguard and the NSRI rescue swimmer assisted them
safely onto the beach. The girl, a local, was not injured," he said.
About an hour later there were reports of a paraglider accident at Swartvlei Beach car park. NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and the ARCC (Air Rescue Coordination
Centre) were alerted.
NSRI medics responded directly to the scene, while the NSRI rescue vehicle with
additional NSRI medics onboard, ER24 ambulance services and Knysna Fire and
Rescue Services responded.
On arrival on the scene, a 72-year-old local man, who had crashed into a
vehicle in the Swartvlei Beach parking area while paragliding, was treated
for suspected serious injuries and transported to hospital by ER24
ambulance in a stable condition. He has been discharged from hospital and
is recovering at home.
He explained that whilst at the paraglider accident scene, they were alerted by members of the public to reports of a drowning in progress at Swartvlei Beach where a young woman was caught in rip currents.
"A man, believed to be aged in his 60's, launched into the water to assist but when
he reached the casualty, the good Samaritan also got into difficulties. That man's son, armed with an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, launched into the water to
assist and he reached the woman and rescued her to the shore. An NSRI rescue swimmer launched into the water. He reached the 60-year-old man and together, with another member of the public who had also swum out to
assist, they rescued him safely to the beach. There were no injuries."
Less than an hour later, the crew was alerted to a drowning in
progress at Wilderness Beach. Two local boys, aged 15 and 16 years, were caught in rip currents. There were reportedly five boys in the water initially and three got out safely prior to the NSRI
arriving at the scene.
"One of the youngsters was located and recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft and he was brought to shore where he was treated by paramedics for non-fatal drowning symptoms. An extensive air, sea and shoreline search, including NSRI rescue swimmers deployed into the surf to conduct free dive sweeping line search efforts, continued for the 16-year-old boy who remains missing. During this search an off-duty lifeguard, who happened to be at the beach at the time, noticed two people caught in rip currents nearby.
"He ran down the beach and launched into the surf to assist. NSRI resources and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, that were there
searching for the missing teenager, diverted to assist in this rescue
operation. Two teenage casualties were located in the surf impact zone by the
EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter. An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed from the
rescue helicopter into the surf where he secured one of the boys who was
semi-conscious in the water.
"The other casualty and the NSRI rescue swimmer were taken onboard NSRI's
Oscar Rescue and brought to shore where paramedics initiated medical treatment
to the casualty who was in a serious condition suffering non-fatal drowning
symptoms. The 15-year-old was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable
condition. The 16-year-old, secured into a specialised stretcher, was transported
along the beach on the NSRI rescue vehicle, to the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue
helicopter, and he has been airlifted to hospital by Skymed in a serious but
stable condition," Vonk said.
"The search for the missing 16-year-old boy at Wilderness Beach is ongoing. Our thoughts are with the family of the missing teenager in this difficult
time.
