Deon Truter, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said; “At 09h11 on Wednesday 24 August 2011, our NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteer duty crew were activated following reports of a surfer bitten by a shark at Lookout Beach, Keurbooms River Mouth, while surfing.
“Our NSRI volunteer duty crew launched 2 sea rescue craft and volunteer NSRI rescue swimmers and our NSRI station doctor responded to the scene. The SA Police Services, Guardmed Ambulance Service and the Tsitsikama Ambulance Service responded to the scene.
“On arrival on-scene 49 year old local male surfer Tim van Heerden was found on the beach (he had been removed from the water by fellow surfers) in a critical condition and resuscitation efforts commenced. He sustained severe shark bite marks to the upper left leg and groin area.
“The man was transported to a local hospital by ambulance while resuscitation efforts, which included cardio pulmonary resuscitation, continued and these efforts continued in hospital.
“After all efforts to save the man’s life were exhausted he was declared dead in hospital.
“The family of the man have been informed and NSRI are in communication with his father who has declined respectfully to speak directly to the media.
“It is strongly suspected, based on eye-witness accounts, that the species of shark involved was a White Shark. An investigation to confirm this will be conducted by the Shark Working Group.
“A large group of surfers were surfing in the area at the time of the incident.
“NSRI have, as a precautionary measure, advised bathers and surfers to abstain from entering the sea in the Plettenberg Bay area at this point, based on this incident, although no formal law enforcement measures will be deployed to enforce no bathing or no surfing – this is only an advisory and does not carry a time limit as it will be up to individuals to assess their own decision to enter the sea.
“The last shark incident to occur in Plettenberg Bay was 13 years ago and it was not fatal. To our knowledge this is the only fatal shark incident in Plett’s history.”
Twitter Condolences for Tim van Heerden:
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/WavescapeSA/status/105936912560304128″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/mattz9/status/105937534571393024″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/Tarryn_C/status/105937807738023936″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/VanSR/status/105938453585334272″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/SoPlett/status/105939038313259008″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/rigard93/status/105940102534017026″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/AllyMacDee/status/105941424897409024″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/arteechoke/status/105946282291499008″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/LyallJohnson/status/105955641549537280″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/candidop/status/105983494420828160″]
