A Cape Town man has gone missing in the surf at Milnerton Beach, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed.

On Sunday, just before 7pm, a local man went missing and another was rescued by a good Samaritan using the NSRI pink rescue buoy.

“At 6.32pm, NSRI Melkbosstrand, Milnerton Surf lifeguards and the City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network were activated following reports to NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) from the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Cape Town Port Control, Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club and Cape Town Fire Control, of a drowning in progress at Milnerton Beach. Staff at a local restaurant and eyewitnesses had raised the alarm. NSRI Table Bay, NSRI Bakoven and Coastwatchers West Coast were alerted,” NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon said.

He said rescue swimmers from NSRI Table Bay, Milnerton Surf lifeguards, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, Western Cape Government Health EMS and ER24 ambulance services responded directly to the scene.

“On arrival on the scene it was found that one local adult man, aged 23, had been rescued from the water by an unidentified Good Samaritan man who had used an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, stationed at that beach, to successfully rescue the man from the water. The man who was rescued was not injured. He confirmed that his friend, a local 44-year-old man, from Belhar, was still missing in the water. It appears that the two men had been swimming when they were caught in rip currents,” Lambinon said.

Milnerton Surf lifeguards launched an inflatable rescue boat (IRB), NSRI Melkbosstrand launched the rescue craft Rotaries Gift and Sea Ranger 13, NSRI Bakoven launched the rescue craft Rescue 2 Alpha.Additional NSRI rescue swimmers responded. The EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was dispatched by EMS Metro Control, accompanied by a Metro Rescue diver. The SA Police Services and PoliceWater Policing and Diving Services were alerted.

“The unidentified Good Samaritan who used the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy to rescue the one man is commended for his effort that saved a life. NSRI rescue swimmers and Milnerton Surf lifeguards conducted free dive search efforts while an extensive air, sea and shoreline search continued in fast fading daylight. Despite the extensive search efforts, that went on after dark, there remains no sign of the missing man. The 23-year-old man attended at hospital on Sunday night where he was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms,” Lambinon said.

He said the search efforts for the missing man continue.

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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