Keryn van der Walt, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said; “On Sunday 31 July at 1h31 NSRI Port Alfred’s volunteer duty crew and Emergency Services were activated following reports of a truck crashed into the Port Alfred harbor.
“NSRI volunteers responded to the scene directly and we also launched my private boat AQUAVITAE (fearing that there may be persons trapped in the truck we launched AQUAVITAE as she was already on the water moored literally 10 meters from the accident and was able to reach the scene quickest carrying a full sea rescue crew compliment of NSRI volunteers onboard).
“Local Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Metro EMS and Traffic Services responded.
“On arrival on-scene we found a large truck and trailer in the water in the harbor. The truck, with two large containers on the trailer bearing a hazardous materials chevron, was fortunately empty.
“It appears that the truck had left the road after striking a car which had allegedly run a stop street while apparently being pursued by Police. The truck had then apparently swerved and crashed through a fence and fell over the edge of the harbor into the water. The driver left the cab through the passenger window and managed to get himself out of the water safely. He bore minor injuries and was transported to hospital by Metro EMS in a stable condition suffering only from shock.
“It is believed (by NSRI) that Police arrested youths in the car that they had been chasing when the incident happened but NSRI have no further information related to this.
“The truck was traveling from Port Elizabeth to East London. The initial incident, where the truck struck the car, happened at the T-Junction stop street at the bridge in Port Alfred. None of the persons in the car were injured.
“The truck missed crashing into the bow of one of the large boats by only a few meters.
“An East London heavy duty tow-truck service were called. NSRI Port Alfred assisted on the scene by moving two large boats that were in the way of the recovery operation. A third boat, that was also in the way of the recovery operation, was moved by the owner of the boat. The truck was removed from the water by two large tow-trucks using winches and towed to East London. The operation to remove the truck from the water was completed by 02h30 on Monday morning.”
