Cape Town - The provincial Health Department EMS Services responded to a record 6 000 medical emergencies, in various areas across the province, over the long weekend.
In a statement, the health care services provider said that out of the 6 098 incidents, its working staff attended to 138 incidents in red zone areas, two search and rescue missions, and 192 transport-related incidents.
One of the search and rescue missions, where a man went missing at sea, in Kalk Bay, is still ongoing. A Police Dive Unit and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Simon’s Town are still actively searching for the missing man, who was last seen on Sunday afternoon.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “A police diving team, supported by Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services rescue divers, are still searching for a Kalk Bay resident, who went missing while at sea, on Sunday afternoon.”
“Duty crews from the NSRI in Simon’s Town and Strandfontein, along with the City's Water Rescue Network, were activated, following multiple eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress, at Kalk Bay, in front of the Harbour House Restaurant,” said Lambinon.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said that, despite extensive search efforts, the Kalk Bay resident was still missing.
“The search for the missing man, believed to be a Kalk Bay resident, is still ongoing. While his identity is still unknown, it is believed that he resides in the Kalk Bay area. The family has not yet come forward to report him missing. The NSRI found the paddle-ski and handed it in at Muizenberg SAPS. Any person with information on the identity of the missing person can contact Sergeant Triechardt on 021 787 9000,” said Traut.
The Western Cape Health Department also responded to 192 transport-related incidents. In two of the transport-related incidents, five people were fatally injured, when the vehicles they were travelling in were involved in road accidents.
“One of the transport-related incidents involved two light motor vehicles and nine patients. The car accident occurred at the Stellenbosch Arterial and Symphony roads, in Delft, on Saturday. Unfortunately, two patients passed away, and the rest of the survivors were transported to Delft CHC and Tygerberg Hospital,” said the Health Department.
“The EMS team also responded to another tragic incident that happened near the Rooiwal Farm, Overhex, in Worcester, also on Saturday. Four vehicles were involved in a head-on collision, which resulted in multiple injuries and three fatalities,” said Western Cape EMS spokesperson Deanna Bessick.