On Saturday, October 5, NSRI Gordons Bay and NSRI Kleinmond duty crews were activated following reports of 2 men who had gone missing while fishing from the shoreline at Rooi Els, between Gordons Bay and Kleinmond. It was suspected that they had been swept off the rocks by a wave.
The sons of one of the missing men and a bystander on a weekend away with friends had initiated a search but only the fishing gear and personal items of the men could be found on rocks where they had been fishing.
The NSRI Gordons Bay sea rescue craft Jack & Irene was launched. NSRI rescue swimmers in sea rescue vehicles from both NSRI Kleinmond and NSRI Gordons Bay reponded. WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and GB Med Security ambulance services also responded.
On arrival on the scene, a sea and shoreline search commenced. During the search one man was located off-shore in the surf and he was recovered onto the sea rescue craft and CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts commenced and CPR continued on the man on the boat en route to the NSRI Gordons Bay sea rescue base.
NSRI Kleinmond and NSRI Simonstown launched sea rescue crafts to join in the search.
Paramedics were activated to respond to the NSRI Gordons Bay sea rescue base to meet the sea rescue craft on its arrival.
ER24 ambulance services, GB Med Security ambulance services and WC Government Health EMS responded to the NSRI Gordons Bay sea rescue base and on the arrival paramedics continued with advanced life support CPR but sadly after all efforts were exhausted the man was declared dead.
NSRI Gordons Bay sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski was launched and the sea rescue craft Jack & Irene returned to the scene to continue in the search.
The second man was located off-shore in the surf and he was recovered onto the sea rescue craft.
CPR continued on the boat en route to the NSRI Gordons Bay sea rescue base where on arrival paramedics continued with advanced life support CPR but sadly after all efforts were exhausted the man was also declared dead.
It remains unknown if the men had both been swept off rocks by a wave as no eye-witnesses have come forward.
Condolences are conveyed to the families. Police have opened an inquest docket.
The bodies of the 2 deceased men, believed to both be from Macassar, have been taken into the care of the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
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