Cape Town – A woman has drowned after falling into the sea in Hout Bay harbour in Cape Town, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Saturday.
NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) at 7pm pn Friday evening following reports of a drowning in progress in Hout Bay harbour at the north breaker wall, NSRI Hout Bay station commander Lyall Pringle said.
NSRI Hout Bay crew were at the sea rescue base in Hout Bay harbour at the time and immediately launched the sea rescue craft Tintswalo Phoenix while NSRI crew responded directly to the scene.
On arrival on the scene NSRI crew found a woman, in her late 30s, a local from the Hout Bay fishing community, out of the water on the harbour wall and a man was conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts. NSRI medics took over the CPR efforts and were then joined by paramedics.
“Despite extensive advanced life support CPR efforts the female was sadly declared deceased. Another two men, both aged in their late 30s, locals from the Hout Bay fishing community, who we believe had both jumped into the water to rescue the female, were treated on the scene by paramedics for hypothermia and one of the men was also treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and following treatment both men were released on the scene requiring no further medical assistance.
“It appears that the female had fallen into the water in the harbour and two fishermen from a fishing boat moored in the harbour had reportedly jumped into the water to rescue her while a fellow fishermen had raised the alarm.
“The two fishermen who we believe had both jumped into the water to rescue the female and fellow fishermen from fishing boats moored in the harbour in the vicinity had managed to recover the female onto the harbour wall where they had initiated CPR,” Pringle said.
NSRI and emergency services have expressed sincere condolences to family and friends of the dead woman. Police have opened an inquest docket.
African News Agency
Audio supplied by City of Cape Town