A fisherman washed off the rocks at Small Bay in Bloubergstrand, Cape Town on Saturday was recovered on Sunday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed.
At about 3pm on Saturday, July 20, eyewitnesses reported the man had washed off from the rocks, and the local coast watch community immediately initiated a visual search along that stretch of coast.
The NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon said NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crew and the City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network were immediately activated.
“NSRI rescue swimmers, Big Bay Blouberg lifeguards, WC Government Health EMS and rescue squad, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, the South African Police Services (SAPS), Community Medics, ER24 ambulance Services, Netcare 911 ambulance services, CoCT Law Enforcement and Tableview neighbourhood watch responded.
“The NSRI rescue craft Rescue 18 Alpha was launched. An NSRI headquarters rescue craft, Spirit of Rotary, was diverted to the scene from a training exercise and assisted in a search operation. On arrival on the scene, a search commenced for an adult male fisherman who was swept off rocks by a wave while shoreline angling and he was last seen by a family member in the surf line,” Lambinon said.
Despite an extensive air, sea, and shoreline search, no sign of the missing man had been found.
However, on Sunday, police divers recovered the fisherman’s body from rocks on the shoreline at low tide.
“Formal identification will need to be made in cooperation with police and Forensic Pathology Services. The body has been taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services,” Lambinon said.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL