On the morning of Wednesday 8 September, NSRI Knysna Station 12 duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a man on a sea kayak appearing to be in difficulty on Knysna Lagoon and drifting towards the Knysna Heads.
According to Jerome Simonis, NSRI Knysna station commander, the duty crew responded to the sea rescue station and the sea rescue craft Jaytee IV and Katharine were launched.
“While responding we received a phone call from the casualty requesting assistance,” he said. “We reached the local 54-year-old man on his sea kayak as he was drifting out to sea through the Knysna Heads.”
The man was taken on board the sea rescue craft with his sea kayak and he informed the crew that he had lost his paddle and, unable to navigate, was swept out towards the sea.
“We briefly searched for his paddle but it has not been found. He was not injured and once we had him safely ashore he required no further assistance. NSRI commends the eye-witnesses who raised the alarm,” said Simonis.
The NSRI appeals to anyone launching any kind of craft with the intent of going out to sea to download and use the free NSRI RSA SafeTrx smartphone application.
The NSRI appeals to anyone launching any kind of craft with the intent of going out to sea to download and use the free NSRI RSA SafeTrx smartphone application.
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