Three men survived a near-drowning at the place where a Springbok bodyboarder was killed by a shark last year.
|||Cape Town - Three men survived a near-drowning at the place where a Springbok bodyboarder was killed by a shark last year.
David Lilienfeld, 20, died after a great white shark severed his leg at the “Caves” surf spot at Kogel Bay, eastern False Bay, in April last year.
On Saturday, two jet skiers and a passenger came close to being smashed against the rocks beneath the cliffs where Lilienfeld was attacked, after their jet skis rolled in heavy swell.
Marc Thompson and his son Eden, who are both registered small craft skippers, launched their jet skis at Harbour Island shortly before midday, heading out into Gordon’s Bay in warm sunshine and windless seas.
They powered their craft around the point at Steenbras River Mouth, towards Kogel Bay. But, at Caves, Eden Thompson and his passenger were hit by a surprise wave, which capsized their jet ski.
The surf smashed it against the foot of the rocky cliff face, while the two men were pummelled in the surf.
Thompson’s father tried to rescue them. But his craft, too, was knocked by waves, dragging his jet ski towards the shore.
The three kept their heads above water and swam to the shore, where they were dumped on the rocks.
Eden Thompson called his mother Bonita from his cellphone and NSRI crews at Gordons Bay launched two craft and set off by land.
BonitaThompson had already called for help from two friends, who raced to the Caves beach and swam around a rocky point to reach the three stranded men.
“They are battered and bruised, exhausted, but fine,” she said.
The men were forced to leave their craft on the rocks and managed to retrieve them on Sunday, with the NSRI’s help.
Cape Argus