PLETTENBERG BAY - NSRI RESCUE TWO MEN WHO GOT SWEPT OFF ROCKS BY A WAVE

At 11h46 on Thursday the 29th of September, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated after an NSRI crewman, doing routine maintenance at the NSRI Plettenberg Bay sea rescue station, noticed two males being swept off rocks by a wave at the Central Beach side of the Beacon Island Hotel.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and an NSRI rescue quad bike was dispatched from the Sea Rescue station. Med-Life ambulance services were activated.

3 Young men, believed to be Sports and Recreation employees of the Beacon Island Hotel, who we believe had been notified by eye-witnesses, ran to the scene from the hotel and jumped into the water to go to the assistance of the 2 casualties.

On NSRI’s arrival on the scene we found that the 3 young men, who are employed by the Beacon Island Hotel, had managed to rescue both of the casualties safely to the beach.

NSRI medics and Med-Life ambulance services paramedics attended to the 2 casualties, a 20 year old male and a 14 year old male, both local friends.
They were treated for shock, exhaustion and minor scrapes and bruises sustained from being swept off the rocks by waves and the 14 year old was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms.

Both were transported to hospital by ambulance in stable conditions for further treatment and the 14 year old will be placed under observation for secondary drowning and both are expected to fully recover.

The 3 young men who went to their rescue, all aged approximately 20, Kade Dickens, Dylan Meyer and Kyle Hans, believed to all be Sports and Recreation facilitators at the Beacon Island Hotel, are commended for rescuing the two casualties.

A Spring Tide has begun to develop around the coastline and peaks on the New Moon on the 1st of October. Spring Tide happens twice every month, at Full Moon and at New Moon, and lasts for a few days over each full moon and every new moon and peaking on the day of the full moon and the new moon. Spring Tides bring a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide and stronger than normal rip currents.

It is suspected that the current developing New Moon Spring Tide and large sea swells currently occurring in the Plettenberg bay area today contributed to the incident happening today.

The public, anglers, bathers, beach strollers, boaters and paddlers are advised to exercise caution around the coastline and to be aware of rough sea conditions and the Spring Tide phenomenon and its affect on the coastline.