PHOTOS: Brynn Gericke
THE National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) crew aboard rescue craft Spirit of Round Table responded to reports of a capsized boat in Richards Bay on Thursday, leading to the rescue of two skiboat occupants.
Sampie Eckman (60) and his son Harold (38) on holiday from Meyerton, Gauteng, capsized in the surf on their boat ‘Scorpion’.
By the time the NSRI team arrived on scene, the men had managed to find their way to shore .
They were airlifted to the Port of Richards Bay helipad by the Transnet National Ports Authority rescue helicopter where they were met by Netcare 911 ambulance services who attended to them.
They were later transported to the Bay hospital in a stable condition for further medical treatment.
Sampie sustained injuries of bruising, possible rib fractures and a laceration to his ear and arm, with the accident aggravating an existing back injury.
He was treated by Sea Rescue medics and secured to a trauma board for spinal immobilisation as a precaution.
The skiboat has been recovered.
Later that afternoon, the NSRI team assisted a jetski from within the harbour.
The NSRI is calling on all beach goers to be safe in the waters and not to use Chinese Lanterns on New Years as they reflect red in the sky which is misleading to rescuers as they look similar to flares.
