Breaking…
A 38 year-old East London man is missing after being swept off rocks into sea this evening at Cove Rock
The man and his son in law were both swept into the sea by waves. Fellow anglers rescued the younger man but the elder was swept further out to sea and disappeared under the water.
An extensive sea and shore search has revealed no sign of the man who, it is feared, may have drowned.
A Police Dive Unit and a Police K9 Unit will continue a search for the missing man from first light tomorrow.
NSRI East London says at 16.55 pm this evening East London volunteer duty crew were activated by reports of the incident at Cove Rock, about 12 nautical miles of East London in the direction of Port Alfred.
Apparently the two anglers were fishing a ledge on the rock that outcrops into the sea. The father in law was swept into the sea by waves and his 28 year old son in law tried to rescue him by clambering down the rocks to reach him when he too was swept into the sea by waves.
NSRI East London dispatched the sea rescue craft Spirit Of Rotary East London Ii and a sea rescue vehicle, EC Government Health EMS, East London Fire and Rescue Services, the SAP and a Police K9 unit were dispatched.
On arrival paramedics treated the rescued man for shock and for lacerations to his hands caused by being swept against the rocks and by clutching onto barnacles on the rocks while waves were washing over him.
The man was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition.
Police are providing trauma counselling to family. NSRI and the emergency services express sincere condolences to family and friends of the missing man.
Police have opened an investigation into the incident.
(edited)
St Francis Chronicle 