A Chinese man swept off the rocks in Hermanus died en route to hospital, the National Sea Rescue Institute said.
|||Cape Town - A Chinese man swept off the rocks between the Windsor Hotel and the Old Harbour, Hermanus, on Monday died en route to hospital, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.
The unidentified man was apparently swept off the rocks by a wave and out to sea, where he was caught in rip currents.
“On arrival… a man was located in the surf and recovered from the surf on to the sea rescue craft where NSRI medics initiated CPR,” said NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon.
The man was brought to New Harbour aboard the sea rescue craft where paramedics continued with CPR.
Continued CPR efforts were performed on him en route to hospital, but, when efforts were exhausted, he was declared dead.
This was one of a number of similar incidents on the coastline over the past few days and included the rescue of a father, his daughter and nephew by a bystander in Hermanus on Sunday.
According to reports, the father, Lionel Cunningham, was with his daughter, 15, son,11, and a 12-year-old nephew when they were all knocked off some rocks by a wave.
Cunningham managed to help his son back to shore, but on returning to rescue his daughter and nephew, he also got caught in the strong current.
“The father and bystanders assisted the son off the rocks and then the father jumped into the sea to attempt to rescue his daughter and his nephew, but reports suggest that he was then also caught in the rip current,” said Lambinon.
They were eventually rescued after bystander Favvas Nel jumped into the water and saved all three family members.
Nel and the family members were all taken to hospital to be treated for cuts, shock and exhaustion.
Meanwhile, at Muizenberg’s Sunrise Beach, an 18-year-old from Cafda Village went missing and is feared drowned after he was swept out to sea while swimming on Sunday.
The teenager could not be found despite the combined efforts of the NSRI and a police dive unit.
The man was one of three who was caught in the current.
A 25-year-old female from Westridge was rescued by a bystander while the woman’s husband rescued her 15-year-old niece.
In another incident on Saturday, an EMS ambulance arranged a meeting with a fishing trawler at a rendezvous point at Buffels Bay, in order to assess and give medical assistance to an ill fisherman aboard the trawler.
The vessel had been 17 nautical miles south of Cape Point when the emergency call went out.
“An EMS paramedic was taken to the rendezvous with Abraham T (the fishing trawler), aboard the sea rescue craft, and the patient was brought ashore in a stable condition at Buffels Bay.
The 50-year-old Khayelitsha man has been transported to hospital by EMS ambulance for further medical treatment,” said Lambinon.
warren.fortune@inl.co.za
Cape Argus