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Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Man Washed Off Harbour Wall Rescued

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At 13h28, Monday, 3 June, NSRI Francis Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a man washed off the harbour wall by waves at the Port of St Francis at the peak of high tide.

The local man, aged in his 40’s, had been swept off the harbour wall into the harbour when local fishermen, preparing their Chokka fishing boat for the Chokka season, saw the man’s peril and they leapt into action.

One fisherman, Buchanan Breytenbach, had initially gone to get a nearby life ring but then on noticing the casualty slipping under water he shouted to his shore skipper, Shorts Richardson, to grab the life ring while Buchanan abandoned his jersey and gum boots and leapt into the water where he reached the casualty and pulled him up from underwater and then managed to prevent him from going underwater.

Buchanan has told the NSRI that he was able to get his arm under the shoulder arm of the casualty – preventing the casualty man from going under water – when Shorts threw a rope towards them.
All the time Shorts was shouting instructions to aid me in the rescue which helped, said Buchanan.
Buchanan grabbed the rope and instructed the casualty to also hold onto the rope while Shorts pulled them towards a gap on the side of their Chokka Boat (towards where a piece of their boat had been washed away in heavy seas and storms over the weekend).

There, at the side of the boat, Shorts helped them onto the boat to safety.

Sara Smith, NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, said: I work upstairs at the Port of St Francis, so I was first on-scene, where I found that they had safely got the man out of the water.

Relay ambulance services had been activated and additional NSRI crew responded.

The man was treated for non fatal drowning symptoms and hypothermia and after being further checked by paramedics he declined being transported to hospital.

NSRI commend Good Samaritan Buchanan Breytenbach for his actions that saved the man’s life.

We also commend Good Samaritan Shorts Richardson for his assistance that contributed to the man’s life being saved.

The swift response of NSRI and Relay ambulance services is commended.

NSRI SAFETY ALERT:

The new moon Spring Tide phase is upon us – Spring tide brings a higher than normal high tide and a lower than normal low tide.

Sea conditions around the coast are rough from the cold fronts and storms that have battered parts of the coastline.

The new moon Spring tide peaks on Thursday 6th June and the Spring tide – higher than normal high tide and lower than normal low tide – in these rough storm seas will cause this new moon Spring tide to contribute to potentially perilous sea conditions lasting from now until after the coming weekend.

Have safety top of mind always and be aware of the new moon Spring tide phase that will contribute to rough seas around the coastline.

Let’s keep each other safe.

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Port Elizabethan

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