Cape Town – The bodies of two men that washed up along the Southern Cape shoreline on Thursday were retrieved by members of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
In the first incident, members of the NSRI Wilderness and Mossel Bay crew responded to Oubaai at 9am to assist police, George Fire and Rescue Services, and the Western Cape Health emergency medical personnel (EMS) and Oubaai Security to search for a local man who had reportedly not returned from a walk along the shoreline the previous day.
A drone was launched by the Fire and Rescue Services to assist in the search.
Officials also made use of a private helicopter.
“NSRI crews were deployed to assist emergency services in the search along the shoreline and two NSRI Wilderness rescue craft and an NSRI Mossel Bay rescue craft joined in the search from the seaside.
“While the NSRI rescue craft was approaching the scene it was reported that the body of a man was located in a rocky area in the surf along the shoreline,” NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, said.
He said the body of the man was recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft and brought to the NSR Mossel Bay rescue station where the body was taken into the care of the police and the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
An inquest docket was opened by police.
In a separate incident at about 1.32pm, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander JC Roos said its duty crew was activated following reports of a body washed into the surf by waves from rocks along the shoreline at Fransman Hoek near to Vleesbaai.
“An NSRI rescue craft was towed to Vleesbaai and launched.
“By Grace ambulance services, Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit and WC Government Health EMS responded.
“On arrival on the scene, the NSRI located and recovered the body of the man who sadly was declared deceased,” Roos said.
The body of the man was recovered onto the NSRI rescue craft and taken to Vleesbaai where the body was taken into the care of police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
Police opened an inquest docket.