Search Operation Underway for Fisherman Swept off Bloubergstrand Rocks

A community has been left in shock as a fisherman was reported missing after being swept off by a wave while fishing from the rocks at Small Bay, Bloubergstrand, on the afternoon of Saturday, 20 July. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Melkbosstrand crew was swiftly joined by an extensive network of emergency services in what has turned into a high-profile search and rescue operation.

The NSRI and City of Cape Town (CoCT) immediately dispatched their water rescue teams to the scene after witnesses raised the alarm at 15h02. The response was comprehensive, with aspects of the operation handled by various specialist groups.

Rescue swimmers, lifeguards from the Big Bay Blouberg area, Western Cape Government Health EMS and Rescue Squad, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, South African Police Services (SAPS), local Community Medics, ER24, Netcare 911 ambulance services, CoCT Law Enforcement, and the Tableview neighbourhood watch were among the responders. Additionally, two NSRI rescue crafts, Rescue 18 Alpha and Spirit of Rotary, were launched; the latter redirected from a training exercise specifically to join the search.

On arrival, efforts were concentrated on locating the adult male who had been fishing along the shoreline before the incident. The last sighting by a family member placed him struggling in the surf line.

The situation escalated as the SAPS Water Polising and Diving Services (WPDS) were informed of the emergency, and the Metro EMS drone unit was deployed, giving an eye in the sky to support the search crews on water and land. Furthermore, the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, already in the air returning from the West Coast, was rerouted to assist.

Despite the extensive collaborative efforts from the sea, air, and along the coastline, the missing man's whereabouts remain unknown. The search, now with added support from police divers, continues amid fading hopes.

As the tight-knit coastal community awaits news, the air is heavy with concern for the missing fisherman. The family is coping with an extremely distressing situation, surrounded by community members and rescue workers who have shown their solidarity during this trying time.

In the face of such an incident, the coordinated response underscores the dedication and preparedness of the local search and rescue teams who serve to protect and save lives in perilous conditions. The NSRI and accompanying services have been determined in their relentless pursuit, yet the ocean has not yielded any clues to the fisherman's fate.