Drowning at Port Dunford and yacht rescue at St Lucia
No sign of the man was found in a shoreline search and Police will continue with an ongoing search operation and Police have opened an investigation
Yesterday afternoon (Friday), NSRI Richards Bay duty crew and Police Search and Rescue responded to Port Dunford following reports of 2 people drowning in the surf.
On arrival on the scene it was confirmed that a 20 year old local man had disappeared in the surf at around 11h00 but the incident appears to have gone unreported.
No sign of the man was found in a shoreline search and Police will continue with an ongoing search operation and Police have opened an investigation.
Early today (Saturday), NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a distress call from a yacht reporting to be taking water and with no motor power and adrift, with 6 crew onboard, 7 nautical miles off-shore of St Lucia.
The sea rescue craft Spirit of Richards Bay was launched and we rendezvoused with the yacht 30 nautical miles from Richards Bay.
They were found sailing on a storm jib and the intake of water had been stemmed and their bilge pumps were coping to extricate water.
One crewman had suffered crushed fingers, a middle and a ring finger reportedly crushed in a winch a few days ago, and NSRI Richards Bay had been placed on alert for that already on Thursday.
The local yacht had departed from Richards Bay and they were returning to Richards Bay.
The yacht was taken under tow by our sea rescue craft in calm seas and we used the opportunity of calm seas to safely race against approaching strong winds.
Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with radio communications.
During the tow effort winds picked up to 14 knots South Westerly with a 2 meter choppy swell and we arrived in Richards bay at 08h45 and the yacht has been safely berthed at the Zululand Yacht Club.
The patient with the crushed fingers was seen to by Netcare 911 and ICE medical rescue paramedics and he has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.
Once safely berthed no further assistance was required.
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