Fishing is a favourite pass time for many who live along the coastline, but caution has to be practiced on the rocks and aboard fishing vessels. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has warned anglers repeatedly to be more careful on the rocks.
On Sunday morning, a fisherman drowned after being swept off the rocks while angling at Gearings Point in front of the Windsor Hotel in Hermanus.
NSRI Hermanus station commander, Deon Langenhoven, said they activated duty crew after reports of a fisherman being swept off the rocks at 10am.
“Our sea rescue craft Jaytee III was launched and NSRI rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services and CIC (Critical Incident Medical) ambulance services responded. On arrival on the scene our NSRI crew onboard our sea rescue craft located the local fisherman, aged in his 50’s, approximately 30m off-shore in the surfline, and he was rescued onto our sea rescue craft,” said Langenhoven.
The man was breathless and pulseless, and the crew initiated CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) until he was brought into Hermanus New Harbour where paramedics continued with CPR.
“Sadly, after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, he was declared deceased by paramedics and the body of the man has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology services,” said Langenhoven.
At midday, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated yet again, this time 8 nautical miles off-shore of Danger Point (20 nautical miles from Hermanus).
A fishing trawler called Compass Challenger, had sent out the emergency call, after a 30-year-old Cape Town fisherman suffered an amputation of 2 fingers on his right hand. It is believed the man lost his fingers to machinery on board the vessel.
Langenhoven said the patient is in stable condition. “Both amputated fingers were in a plastic bag on ice and the fisherman has been brought to Hermanus harbour and the ships agents have taken him to hospital where doctors will treat the fisherman for his injuries and investigate the possibility to re-attach the two fingers,” he said.
Picture: Unsplash/Caio Vale