Rescued sea turtle dies

A sea turtle which was trapped in shark nets offshore of Vetch’s Beach on Saturday morning, 24 August sadly died later in the afternoon despite attempts to save it.

Ian Livemore, NSRI Durban’s duty coxswain, said they were contacted by Police Search and Rescue to assist the turtle.

“The Sharks Board were contacted and they requested NSRI’s assistance. We launched our sea rescue craft and on arrival on-scene we freed the entrapped sea turtle but it appeared to be lifeless,” Livemore said.

He said the turtle was taken to the sea rescue base and unsure of the situation rescuers applied blankets to the turtle to see if it would warm up but the efforts appeared to be useless.

“The Sharks Board dispatched a member to collect the sea turtle but as he arrived at our sea rescue base the sea turtle began to show signs of life.

“The sea turtle was transported to uShaka Marine World where marine vets continued treatment to try to save it. NSRI regret to inform that sadly the sea turtle died in the afternoon despite the best attempts to try to save it. ”

Meanwhile the sea rescue crew was able to assist a Durban man who ran into trouble on his jetski.

Wendy Serfontein, NSRI Durban base controller, said they were called by Transnet National Ports Authority following a request for assistance from a 44-year-old man who reported his jet-ski was experiencing mechanical motor failure 1,5 nautical miles off-shore in line with the Moses Mabhida Stadium, about 2 nautical miles from the NSRI Durban sea rescue base.

“Our NSRI Durban volunteer sea rescue duty crew, who were on station at the time conducting routine training, launched our sea rescue craft Megan II and on arrival, took the jet-ski under tow and towed the man to Vetch’s Beach where his jet-ski was recovered and he required no further assistance,” she said.