A couple’s harrowing experience at sea this past Wednesday serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of safety measures while participating in water sports, reports Cape {town} Etc.
Image: NSRI via Cape (town) Etc
The husband and wife, navigating on a double surf ski, found themselves in distress after capsizing during a downwind paddle from Fish Hoek to Millers Point in False Bay, but their timely use of the NSRI SafeTrx phone application ultimately led to their successful rescue.
Darren Zimmerman, duty controller of the NSRI Simon’s Town station, reported that at 14:37 on 20 August, an emergency activation signal from SafeTrx was intercepted by the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
The alert indicated that a couple was in distress off the proximity of Fisherman’s Beach in Simon’s Town.
‘In cellphone communications with the distressed couple, we faced challenges due to strong winds and rough seas, however, they confirmed that they were aware of our response to their emergency signal,’ Zimmerman explained.
The NSRI team quickly mobilised, dispatching coast watchers and a rescue vehicle to ascertain the situation from the shore, while Cape Medical Response (CMR) was also activated to assist.
The NSRI rescue craft, Donna Nicholas, was launched with GPS coordinates from the SafeTrx technology guiding the crew to locate the couple swiftly. ‘Upon arriving at the designated area, we found them clinging to their surf ski in the challenging surf,’ Zimmerman recounted.
NSRI rescue swimmers deployed into the surging waves successfully extracted the couple, bringing them safely aboard the rescue craft along with their surf ski.
Despite the dire conditions, with swells reaching heights of 3 to 4 meters and gusts of wind at 35 knots, the NSRI team managed to conduct immediate medical treatment for the couple, both of whom were suffering from hypothermia.
They were transported to the NSRI rescue base, where CMR paramedics continued their evaluation. Following re-warming procedures, the couple was released, requiring no further medical assistance.
The couple expressed profound gratitude to the NSRI Simon’s Town team for their timely and effective response.
‘This incident stands as a testament to the critical role of our advanced NSRI technology SafeTrx in ensuring safety on the water,’ concluded Zimmerman.
Article shared by Cape Town ETC
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