Sunday ended up being a busy afternoon for rescue services across the Atlantic Seaboard.
A 32-year-old man from Grassy Park went missing after going diving in Bantry Bay with his brother on Sunday October 22.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said that authorities were alerted to the incident at 11.19am. Luke van Riet, NSRI Bakoven deputy station commander, said: “It appears that while the brothers were exiting the water after a dive in rough sea conditions the missing man’s brother was able to get out of the surf onto rocks but his brother, a 32-year-old male from Grassy Park, went missing and bystanders raised the alarm.
“The sea rescue craft Rotarian Schipper, nearby at Clifton Beach on a routine training operation at the time, immediately diverted to respond to the scene and a search operation commenced.”
Mr Van Riet said NSRI Bakoven rescue swimmers, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services dive unit, the provincial EMS rescue squad, Life Healthcare response paramedics, CoCT Law Enforcement, the SA Police Services and a police dive unit responded.
“An extensive search revealed no sign of the missing man and the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter responded to assist in the search but despite the extensive sea, air and shoreline search operation no sign of the man has been found and a police dive unit will continue with an ongoing search operation,” he added.
He said police had been assisting the family.
Wilderness Search and Rescue were involved in an operation to assist a man who had fallen 15 metres off Lion’s Head on Sunday morning. The organisation said the patient had been airlifted to hospital.