National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) duty crew in Gqeberha were activated at 10:45 on Sunday following reports of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts aboard a dive charter boat.
The initial reports came from Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control.
CPR was being performed on an adult male on a dive charter boat that was heading towards the Port of Port Elizabeth, said the NSRI in a statement.
“At the time, the dive charter boat was in the vicinity of the outer Bell Buoy,” the statement read.
“The NSRI Gqeberha rescue craft, Rescue 6 Alpha [that was already on the water at our NSRI rescue station following a routine stand-by at the local Iron Man competition] was launched.”
Hong Kong national
Eastern Cape Government Health EMS and Relay ambulance services were also alerted and mobilised after the distress call.
Upon reaching the scene, half a nautical mile from the entrance to the Port, NSRI rescue personnel found the dive charter boat crew “conducting CPR on a Chinese man, a tourist.”
“It appears that the man, age 50, had surfaced from a scuba dive unconscious and he was recovered onto the dive charter boat,” the NSRI added.
According to Hong Kong’s The Standard and South China Morning Post, the Chinese Consulate in Cape Town confirmed on Monday that the deceased was a man from Hong Kong.
Further resuscitation efforts
The man was then transferred to the NSRI rescue craft, where CPR efforts continued during the journey to the NSRI Gqeberha rescue station.
Paramedics at the station continued with advanced life support CPR efforts. In spite of these resuscitation attempts, the man could not be revived and was declared deceased.
The SA Police Services attended the scene, and an inquest docket has been opened. The deceased’s body has been entrusted to Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
“Condolences are conveyed to family of the deceased man,” the NSRI concluded.
NSRI confirms drowning of fisherman near Cape Point
In another boating incident at the weekend, the NSRI confirmed on Sunday that man was found to have drowned near Cape Point.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the tragic incident took place at Brightwaters on Saturday morning, on the Atlantic side of Cape Point.
Two other male occupants of the boat – which had capsized – raised the alarm and several emergency services teams were alerted.
Both managed to reach the shore after their boat capsized in the surf zone in dense fog. They could find no signs of their skipper.
“On arrival on the scene the casualty boat was found beached, and an extensive sea and shoreline search commenced for the missing 39-year-old skipper,” the NSRI statement read.
“During the search the body of the man was located approximately between 30 and 50 meters off-shore at Brightwaters and was recovered onto the NSRI rescue craft.”
“Sadly the man was declared deceased.”
