Durban - A man had a two hour boogie boarding ordeal in the heavy seas of Cape Town before being rescued on Saturday afternoon.
National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson Craig Lambinon said that the 34-year old Arthur Sierra had been boogie boarding with two friends at Camps Bay went he drifted out to sea and was reported missing.
A helicopter and a boat from the NSRI was dispatched to search for him while people from on shore attempted to sight the boogie boarder.
Eventually the helicopter located Sierra who had drifted some 3.8km northwards towards Sea Point. The helicopter crew then guided the NSRI’s Spirit of Vodacom boat to his position.
He was picked up and taken to shore much to the relief of his family and friends.
Lambinon said: “It appears that during the search operation the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF VODACOM had come within less than a hundred meters of the casualty but big sea swells hid the missing man from sight of the crew aboard the sea rescue craft.”