Cape Town - The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) was called on to assist a SA National Parks ranger on Monday evening, who had suffered an accidental gunshot wound to his right leg.
Ian Klopper, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said that the duty crew were activated to assist the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) ranger at Kommetjie Beach at 6pm on Monday, 01 June.
"The ranger suffered an accidental gunshot wound to his right leg reportedly sustained during the pursuit of a suspect and he was reportedly laying on the rocks on the shoreline. Our sea rescue vehicle with NSRI medics, CMR (Cape Medical Response), TMNP rangers responded and the SA Police Services were activated.
"On arrival on the scene the patient was treated by paramedics and loaded and secured into a Stokes basket stretcher and he was extricated from the rocks to a nearby CMR ambulance," Klopper said.
"The patient has been transported to hospital, by CMR ambulance in the care of CMR paramedics in a serious but stable condition."
He said that the TMNP ranger is recovering in hospital and he is expected to make a full recovery.
In an unrelated incident earlier on Monday, the NSRI Bakoven duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) of an object floating in the ocean off-shore between Oudekraal and Bakoven.
Craig McIver, NSRI Bakoven duty coxswain, said that just before 11am on Monday, 01 June, the shore team responded to investigate and an orange object was spotted floating off-shore of Bakoven and drifting in a direction towards Camps Bay.
"An NSRI crew members private 2 man sea-kayak was launched at Bakoven beach carrying 2 NSRI rescue swimmers and additional NSRI crew were activated to be on alert to prepare to launch a sea rescue craft if required.
"The 2 man sea-kayak reached what was found to be a life-jacket floating in the surf and the life jacket was recovered and brought to shore," McIver said.
"A registration number printed on the life jacket was investigated by SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) and appears to be registered to a Western Cape fishing boat and although investigations are continuing to try to reach the owner no persons are suspected to be missing or overdue at sea related to this incident."
Cape Argus