Cape Town - A Knysna car guard who helped to save an angler who became pinned down by a boulder that rolled on top of him while fishing has been commended for his efforts.
The NSRI said that on Saturday afternoon, its rescue team received a call from a resident in Knoetzie reporting that she had been notified by a car attendant, who had been notified by an unidentified fisherman, of an angler who was stuck under the boulder.
Neither the location nor the medical condition of the man was known, other than he was in the vicinity of Knoetzie.
The fisherman who had reported the incident to the car guard had apparently left the scene and no further information could be received from him.
NSRI Knysna station commander, Jerome Simonis, then requested that the resident ask the car attendant to go back to the area where the fisherman had been injured, and to return with further information including the exact location where the angler was.
When the rescue crew arrived at Knoetzie, the car attendant returned and he was able to provide an update on the condition and the location of the man.
“It appears that the while on his way to go fishing the injured fisherman had grabbed onto a large rock whist climbing over the rocks, the rock had dislodged, he fell backwards into a rock pool with the large rock landing on top of him and he was unable to move after suffering injuries.
“Throughout the search, communications were hampered by no cell phone signal at Knoetzie making communications between the emergency services challenging.
“As a result initial communications were relayed between the crew on the beach to the NSRI rescue craft and to the NSRI Knysna rescue base.
“At that stage the NSRI crew onboard the rescue craft spotted smoke coming from a fire that had been started by the car attendant in his efforts to attract the attention of the NSRI crew on the rescue craft,” the NSRI said.
The fisherman was treated for hypothermia and injuries.
Once stabilised and secured, he was carried away from the incoming tide.
By the time rescue swimmers arrived, it was dark and an illumination flare was set off to light the area to assist the swimmers through the breaking swell.
“Due to dangers posed by darkness, the barely accessible terrain, including sheer cliffs and unstable footing, it was decided that the conditions were too dangerous to continue carrying the casualty and the decision was made for the two EMS rescue paramedics to remain with the casualty for the night and that the EMS/AMS Skymed Helicopter would be dispatched at first light on Sunday morning.
“The fisherman, the car attendant, the resident who called NSRI and all emergency services involved are commended for saving the fisherman’s life,” the NSRI said.
Cape Times