Injured surf-ski paddler, 47, rescued after drifting away

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An injured paddler was rescued after gradually being swept further out to sea by an offshore wind that capsized his surf ski between Roman Rock Lighthouse and Miller’s Point. Three surf-skiers raised the alarm after the 47-year-old separated from them during a downwind paddle on Saturday. The man had capsized after a wind squall came through and on capsizing he injured his arm, which prevented him from getting back into his surf-ski and he drifted away, staying with his surfski. He set off red distress flares. His friends turned around to search for him. NSRI Simon's Town duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III and Spirit of Surfski II and their sea rescue vehicle responded along the shoreline. NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “Our network of coast watchers were alerted and almost immediately our coast watchers reported red distress flare sightings off-shore between Simon’s Town and Miller’s Point.

“Reports from our coast watchers network confirmed additional red distress flare sightings about 3km out to sea and a compass bearing on the red distress flare sighting, provided by the coast watchers was relayed by the coast watcher to the NSRI Simon’s Town operations room and the sea rescue craft headed in that direction,” he said.

He said a member of the public using binoculars had been able to sight the paddler in distress but in the rough sea conditions, sight of the man was lost behind sea swells.

“Both the man and his surf-ski were recovered onto the sea rescue craft and treatment for hypothermia and for an arm injury was initiated,” he said.

The paddler was treated for hypothermia and his arm injury was treated before his wife came to collect him and take him to Constantiaberg Mediclinic.

NSRI urged paddlers and boaters to download and use the NSRI app RSA SafeTrx - www.nsri.org.za.