Spirit of Dawn beaching with the jet-ski under tow. Picture: NSRI Shelly Beach.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) stepped in to assist a fisherman on the Vaal Dam on Sunday after the man’s canoe was seen to be sinking.
Dirk Manten, the NSRI Vaal Dam station commander, said in a statement: “While at our Manten Marina, we noticed a commotion about 50 metres away out on the dam and, observing through binoculars, we saw that a fisherman on a canoe had gotten into difficulty on the dam, while fishing, and it appeared that the fisherman’s canoe was sinking.”
Manten said the sea rescue Vaal Dam crew launched the company boat and found the fisherman’s canoe was sinking under water, and his face was barely above the waterline. He said the crew grabbed hold of him and pulled him into the boat. He said the 28-year-old Johannesburg man was in shock but was not injured.
“The canoe which was semi-sunken was recovered, and we then found his friend, who had launched into the water to come to assist, swimming towards us, and we took him on board our boat and they were both brought to land safely,” said Manten.
“We have urged both men to always wear life-jackets when they go fishing on their canoes.”
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The NSRI responded to two other incidents at the weekend. In Mossel Bay, Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said the duty crew was activated after a yacht was reported to have been drifting and appeared to be unmanned off the shore of Santos Beach.
“We launched the sea rescue craft Vodacom Rescuer II and on arrival on the scene we took the unmanned yacht Win Win, that was dragging her anchor, under tow and towed her safely to the harbour where she was secured to a mooring without incident and no further assistance was required,” said Fraser.
The yacht Win Win being towed by NSRI Mossel Bay sea rescue craft Vodacom Rescuer II. Picture: NSRI Mossel Bay.
Meanwhile on Shelly Beach on KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast, a jet-ski suffered motor mechanical failure offshore of the Ramsgate ski-boat club with a man and woman on board.
Antoinette Le Roux, NSRI Shelly Beach deputy station commander, said: “We launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Dawn and on arrival on the scene we located the couple, from Johannesburg, aged in their 20s, off the backline and two local lifeguards, who had swum out to assist them, were with them and assisting to secure them.”
She said they were taken aboard the sea rescue craft, and their jet-ski was towed to shore.
“Once safely ashore no further assistance was required. The lifeguards are commended for going out to the couple and keeping them safe until we arrived,” said Le Roux.
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