Missing pink buoy could help in search for 17-year-old swept off rocks in Llandudno

The NSRI believe that a missing pink rescue buoy could help in the search for missing teenager Ryder Kossatz, who was sadly swept out to sea on Wednesday 9 August in Cape Town, South Africa.

According to heartbroken friends, 17-year-old Ryder, from Hout Bay, and his girlfriend were walking on the rocks at the Sandy Bay parking area in Llandudno when he fell and was swept away in rip currents. She allegedly saw him starting to swim and immediately ran for help. The NSRI was alerted at 15h44.

“On arrival on the scene an extensive search commenced for a 17 year old local male who was last seen in heavy sea surf approximately 300 to 400 meters off-shore,” said the NSRI. “It appears he had been in shallow surf on rocks on the shoreline with friends when reportedly a wave may have swept him off his feet and we believe he had attempted to swim with sea currents to escape the rocky shoreline.”
 
Despite an extensive sea, air and shoreline search – including the police dive unit, EMS rescue squad and NSRI rescue swimmers – there remained no sign of the teenager who is believed to be from Wynberg Boys High School. The extensive search even including using a rescue drone, with a FLIR (Thermal Imaging Camera Technology), and shoreline patrols were continued into the night.

The NSRI said in a statement today (Thursday): “NSRI are appealing to the public and seafarers along the Atlantic Seaboard, in particular between Camps Bay and Hout Bay, to be the lookout for an NSRI pink rescue buoy that may have washed out along the shoreline or may be adrift at sea.”.

The Llandudno rescue buoy is believed to have been thrown towards Kossatz but “it appears that sadly Ryder had not managed to reach the rescue buoy before he disappeared.”

The organisation said if the pink rescue buoy is spotted adrift at sea OR if spotted washed up on the shoreline please call the NSRI emergency number 0870949774 (NSRI EOC Emergency Operations Centre) or vessels at sea can contact Cape Town Radio on VHF marine radio channel 16.

Please also plot the position or provide an accurate description of where the missing pink buoy is found. It’s hope that locating the buoy will help in determining the drift of the sea that appears to have had no normal drift patterns on the day due to extensively rough sea conditions that prevailed on Wednesday and into Thursday. This could assist police in locating the missing youngster.

Kossatz’s family have extended their heartfelt thanks to all for the overwhelming support they have received since Ryder went missing, and have respectfully requested privacy in this difficult time.

SAFETY ALERT ATLANTIC SEABOARD AND BEYOND:

NSRI, in cooperation with CoCT (City of Cape Town), are appealing to coastal bathers, hikers, paddlers and seafarers to be particularly cautious along the Atlantic Seaboard following the number of water accidents that have occurred over the past 2 months, 3 of which have happened in the Sandy Bay vicinity.

NSRI and Maritime authorities are appealing to all coastal bathers, hikers, paddlers and seafarers, across the broad South African coastline, to exercise increased safety precautions as rough winter sea conditions prevail around the coastline.

“Often, despite good weather conditions, rough sea conditions prevail,” said the NSRI. “We are urgently appealing to all public members and seafarers to exercise extreme caution around the coastline.”

Telkom Maritime Radio Services, in cooperation with MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) and the South African Police Services, are broadcasting an all ships alert for vessels in the area along the Atlantic seaboard to be on the lookout for the missing pink rescue buoy.

Please support the National Sea Rescue Institute here.