A group of divers were allegedly bitten by a seal on Saturday morning, while diving on the Atlantic seaboard.
The incident took place at around 10am.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “The City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network was alerted by ER24 ambulance services of a local dive charter boat headed towards OPBC (Oceana Power Boat Club) from Oudekraal, on the Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town, with injured divers onboard and requesting medical care.
“Some divers had reportedly been bitten by a seal while they were in the water.”
Lambinon said it appears that the dive charter boat, with four crew and eight adult divers, had arrived at Oudekraal where the 8 divers entered the water to prepare to scuba dive.
“On entering the water to prepare to begin scuba diving, according to reports, a seal started to swim amongst the 8 divers and began biting the divers.
“The boat crew were able to recover all 8 divers onto their boat and the alarm was raised.”
Lambinon said a Portuguese woman and a South African woman, were treated by paramedics for bite puncture wounds.
“The Portuguese lady was transported to hospital in a stable condition by Netcare 911 ambulance while the South African lady was assessed by paramedics and not requiring hospitalisation she was advised to attend an emergency room or a doctor for broad spectrum antibiotics, rabies and tetanus treatment, as a precaution.”
Four others - a Brazilian man, a French woman, a French man and a South African man - who had sustained minor scrape bite wounds, were assessed by paramedics.
“As they did not require hospitalisation they were was advised to attend at an emergency room or doctor for broad spectrum antibiotics, rabies and tetanus treatment, as a precaution.”
A German man and a South African woman who had not been bitten required no further assistance.
Lambinon said all the relevant authorities, including the SPCA, were notified.
“We are appealing to bathers and divers, in the Oudekraal area and along the Atlantic Seaboard to be aware of this incident and to be cautious.”
He said the cause of the seals behaviour was unknown.
IOL