Kobus Barnard, NSRI Yzerfontein duty coxswain, said; “At 12h34 on Saturday 29 October, our NSRI volunteer duty sea rescue crew, on routine duty and at the Main slip-way at Yzerfontein harbour, were alerted by the skipper of a fishing boat (a 6.5 meter Snoek fishing boat), NATABI, reporting to be racing towards shore with a crewman onboard who had collapsed unconscious. They reported that they would be in the harbour in under ten minutes and they requested NSRI to please be ready with medical support to receive them and attend to their crew fisherman, a 58 year old local man.
“We made ready at the harbour to receive the patient and paramedics from Atlantic Medical Services, who were standing-by on routine duty with our sea rescue crew at the harbour, got their emergency medical equipment ready.
“On the arrival of the fishing boat NSRI medics and Atlantic Medical Services paramedics found the patient to be pulseless and breathless and immediately Advanced Life Support CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were initiated but after all extensive efforts to resuscitate the patient were exhausted the man was sadly declared dead.
“The body of the man has been handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.
“It appears that the man, a diabetic, may have suffered a heart attack suspected to be related to his diabetic condition but an autopsy, to be conducted by forensic pathologists, will reveal the exact cause of death.
“The deceased fisherman’s family are being attended to by trauma counselors but the NSRI are not releasing the mans name which has been recorded by Police.”
