It takes more than “just a shipwreck” to keep Knysna’s NSRI (national Sea Rescue Institute) busy. Here’s a news update from the horse’s mouth:

NSRI Knysna are continuing to assist at the Kiani Satu ship that ran aground near Buffels Bay on Friday 09th August.

NSRI Knysna’s role is to provide on scene safety stand-by while salvage operations progress and sea rescue craft and sea rescue volunteers from NSRI Knysna will remain involved and on-scene for safety until they are released by SAMSA (South African Maritime safety Authority). NSRI sea rescue craft are launched each time helicopters come in to conduct hoisting operations at the ship.

NSRI will not be giving updates on the progress of the salvage operation as this is under the command of SAMSA.

Graeme Harding, NSRI Knysna station commander, said: “After being released from safety stand-by at the ship at 19h00 on Saturday evening (10th August), we were requested to check on safety at a party being conducted at the Buffalo Bay caravan park (a party that is part of a surfing competition being held in the area at the moment) and while doing a routine safety check a fire dancer, a man estimated to be aged in his late 30′s, caught alight while doing his act and our NSRI medics treated him for 1st and 2nd degree burns on his head and an ER24 ambulance transported the man to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

“Following that incident we were then called following reports of two women and a child being swept down the Goukamma River. Our NSRI rescue crew initiated a search and Police divers were also activated. Just after 21h00 we located the two women and the child on the other side of the river, at the river mouth. They were safely ashore and we called out to them to stay where they were while we drove around to their side of the river. On arrival we treated them for mild hypothermia, a 29 year old woman, a 27 year old woman and the 3 year old daughter of the one lady.

“They were brought to safety.

Today, Sunday 11th August, our Knysna sea rescue crews have returned to conduct a routine safety stand-by at the Kiani Satu ship.”