Kite surfer injured at sea in Umhlanga

On Sunday, 29 January, emergency services responded to reports that a kite surfer was injured at sea in Umhlanga.

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Kite surfer injured at sea

When the rescue unit and ambulance arrived, they found that a kite surfer had broken his leg while kite surfing.

The injured man made it to shore and requested assistance.

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Paramedics using advanced life support attended to the man, packaging him to be carried away from the beach and to an awaiting ambulance.

The man was taken to the hospital for further treatment.

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Safety at sea

With many drownings and injuries at sea, Arrive Alive provides the following tips when out at sea:

• Before entering the sea, swimmers should observe the waves and avoid areas with strong backwash, obvious rip currents, or the risk of being washed onto rocks.
• Before you leave, check the weather and tides; if the seas are too rough, you could be swept away.
• Only enter where the waves are gentle and straight.
• If you encounter a strong current, get out of the water or stay well within your depth.
• It is preferable to swim when the tide is rising because the sea will wash you ashore and the backwash and rip currents will be less powerful.
• Before swimming, check with the lifeguard about the surf conditions.
• Swim in designated areas where lifeguards are on duty.
• Be considerate of other swimmers, especially when surfing.
• Never swim if you are inebriated. Alcohol impairs judgment, causes unnecessary risks, and causes a swimmer to tire more easily, increasing the likelihood of an accident.
• Swimming should be avoided immediately after a large meal to avoid cramps.
• Do not dive into shallow seas.
• Swimming is not recommended in river mouths, dirty water, or when bluebottles are present.
• Never swim alone; always use a buddy system.
• Don’t overestimate your swimming ability, especially if the water is cold early in the summer. Swimming ability suffers greatly in cold water.

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