5 kayakers rescued after getting lost in dense fog off Cape Town coast

Five paddlers were safely brought ashore after becoming disoriented in dense fog off the coast of Cape Town in a rescue operation on Tuesday, 13 October, ***Cape {town} Etc ***reports.

The incident unfolded offshore of Three Anchor Bay, where a group consisting of two local women and three German male tourists found themselves struggling to navigate their way back to shore.

Dean Wegerle, the NSRI regional operations manager, revealed that at 08:50, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) received an emergency alert via the NSRI SafeTRX app from a solo paddler on one of the kayaks. This prompted the immediate activation of NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Bakoven duty crews.

As NSRI’s Emergency Operations Centre investigated the situation, it was determined that the 5 paddlers two women aged 60 and 59 and three men aged 35, 26, and 21 had launched from the slipway at Three Anchor Bay but became disoriented after launching into the thick fog enveloping the area.

‘In dense fog, they became adrift without a clear sense of direction,’ said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.

‘Although only one of the three sea-kayaks was utilising the NSRI SafeTRX app, it was instrumental in tracking their whereabouts as it indicated they were drifting towards Bantry Bay.’

After making contact with the lead kayaker, it was confirmed that the group was remaining together but was uncertain of their position relative to the land. This led to the immediate mobilisation of the NSRI rescue craft, Colorpress Rescuer, which was launched while crew members remained on alert.

Meanwhile, members of Atlantic Adventures, a local kayaking company, were in the area and had postponed clients’ kayaking due to the hazardous conditions.

Upon spotting three kayakers offshore of Granger Bay, they quickly stepped in to assist by launching their safety support craft, which successfully reached the kayakers, confirming they were not the group that raised the alarm. Those three kayakers safely returned to shore with the help of Atlantic Adventures’ crew.

As the NSRI rescue craft navigated through the fog, they located the disoriented group approximately 1.3 nautical miles offshore of Clifton. The rescue operation resulted in the five paddlers being brought safely onboard, where they were treated for mild hypothermia before their sea-kayaks were recovered.

NSRI Table Bay dispatched a rescue vehicle to the Oceana Power Boat Club (OPBC) to await their arrival.

‘All five were in good spirits and did not require further assistance, so we provided them with a lift back to their vehicles at Three Anchor Bay,’ said Lambinon.

‘This incident underscores the importance of safety measures while paddling; we strongly encourage all kayakers to download and utilise the NSRI SafeTRX smartphone app before heading out.’

---

Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!

---

Also read:

Nine-year-old boy dies after drowning at Kleinmond lagoon

Picture: NSRI

The post 5 kayakers rescued after getting lost in dense fog off Cape Town coast appeared first on Cape Town ETC.