The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) rescued a father and daughter after their jet-ski broke down off Alkanstrand. | NSRI Richards Bay/ Facebook
Durban — A father and daughter duo were rescued after a suspected jet ski breakdown left them seeking help off-shore of Alkanstrand, Richards Bay, in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Richards Bay deputy station commander Norman Rautenbach said that on Saturday, at 8.19am, the NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated following a distress call from a local man and his daughter reporting to be in difficulties on their jet ski, about 2 nautical miles offshore of Alkanstrand.
“Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Richards Bay station 19 rescue base where we launched the rescue craft Spirit of Round Table II,” Rautenbach said.
He said that while they were approaching the father and daughter, a local private vessel arrived on the scene rescuing the daughter from the water.
“The male was taken on-board our rescue craft and the female was transferred from the private vessel onto our rescue craft. She was treated for hypothermia,” Rautenbach said.
“We took the jet ski under tow and brought them to Richards Bay Ski-boat Club where their craft was recovered.”
Rautenbach said the daughter had been rewarmed and needed no further assistance.
He said it appears the jet ski’s motor may have failed while they were out at sea, causing them to get into distress.
“The private vessel, RockaBilly, her skipper and crew, are commended for their assistance,” Rautenbach said.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, NSRI Gqeberha duty coxswain Mark Dawson said that on Friday, at 4.23am, the NSRI Gqeberha station 6 rescue base was opened to prepare to launch for a medical evacuation operation off a bulk carrier motor vessel in Algoa Bay.
The NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha was launched, accompanied by an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic and NSRI Maritime Extrication (MEX) crew.
Dawson said they rendezvoused with the vessel about 10 nautical miles offshore in Algoa Bay.
“NSRI MEX crew were transferred onto the vessel and the patient, age 29, from China, suffering an injury associated with a medical complaint, walking wounded, was secured into a harness and transferred onto our rescue craft and into the care of the EMS rescue paramedic,” Dawson said.
“The patient was brought to our rescue base and in a stable condition he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance for further medical care.”
Dawson said their NSRI rescue base was closed at 6.55am.
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