The Incredible Rescue of Frans Smit
Frans 'Quagga' Smit was washed off the rocks at Cape St. Blaize in Mossel Bay in April. We caught up with him and the NSRI and SAPS members who rescued him.
You can read the full rescue report below:
Kelly Fourie, NSRI Mossel Bay deputy station commander, said:
At 11h34, Thursday, 25 April, NSRI was alerted to reports from multiple eyewitnesses of a fisherman swept off rocks by a wave at The Point, Mossel Bay.
NSRI Mossel Bay rescue swimmers, our NSRI Mossel Bay rescue vehicle, the SA Police Services (SAPS), SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services), Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, and Mossel Bay municipal lifeguards responded while the NSRI rescue craft JetRib Rescue 15 Bravo was launched.
On arrival on the scene a local male fisherman, age 47, was found in the water, keeping himself afloat by treading water.
He had been swept off rocks by a wave during the Spring tide while shoreline angling.
Concerned family members were on the shore.
The man was at risk of being harmed on the rocky shoreline if he had tried to swim to the shore.
A Police diver, using an NSRI pink rescue buoy, swam to the man and then, using the pink rescue buoy to aid the man to stay afloat, the Police diver swam the man further out to sea to beyond the breakers.
The NSRI JetRib rescue craft arrived on the scene and the casualty man and the police diver were taken onboard the NSRI rescue craft.
The casualty was brought to our NSRI Mossel Bay rescue station where he was reunited with his family and after being medically checked by EMS paramedics it was deemed that he was in a satisfactory condition and he was released requiring no further assistance.
NSRI commend the fisherman for staying calm and for staying afloat by treading water until help arrived.
We commend the Police divers for their quick thinking to get a pink rescue buoy (floatation) and a Police diver to the man as quickly as possible in the surf zone and then swimming the casualty away from danger (away from the rocks) - contributing to the man's life being saved.
NSRI commend the many concerned eyewitnesses for swiftly raising the alarm and the swift response by all involved and the Chaplain Services counsellors who assisted at the NSRI rescue station.
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