Police searching for missing diver - Port Elizabeth, South Africa

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Extensive search conducted for missing PE scuba diver | Algoa FM
An extensive search was conducted on Wednesday for a 70-year-old man who was reported missing while scuba-diving off Noordhoek in Port Elizabeth.

The NSRI station commander, Ian Gray, said that their duty crew was activated at around midday.

“An extensive search, including a sea, shoreline, air and scuba-dive search, for the missing 70- year-old local man has been carried out,” he said.

Gray said resources deployed in the search operation included seven private boats from Noordhoek ski-boat club, a team of private scuba divers who are qualified rescue divers, the Police Dive Unit, the NSRI PE sea rescue craft Spirit of Toft and Eikos Rescuer IV and the NSRI rescue vehicle.

He said an SA Air Force 15 Squadron, Charlie Flight BK-117 helicopter, EC Government Health EMS and Coastal Water Rescue were also deployed in the search.

Gray said the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Transnet National Ports Authority and Telkom Maritime Radio Service also assisted.

“Despite the extensive search no sign of the missing man has been found,” Gray said.

He said NSRI Port Alfred were dispatched to assist the wife of the missing man while his family are also being assisted by the NSRI and the SA Police Services.

Gray said that the NSRI commended the private divers who joined police divers in the scuba-dive search as well as the private boat owners who also joined in the search operation.
 
An update has been published Scuba diver just 'disappeared from the surface' - HeraldLIVE
Scuba diver just ‘disappeared from the surface’

The family of a 72-year-old scuba diver who vanished off the Eastern Cape coast have found strength in the knowledge that he may have died while doing what he loved.

David Fraser was on a diving excursion when he disappeared off Noordhoek in Port Elizabeth on August 9.

No trace of the experienced diver has been found‚ despite an extensive search.

In a post declaring that she was feeling heartbroken on Facebook‚ Fraser’s wife Julia said: “For us it is no longer a rescue but … sadly a recovery. We are finding peace and strength in knowing he was doing what he loved.”

A celebration of his life was held on Wednesday.

The family described him as a scuba diver‚ hunter‚ golfer‚ artist‚ swimmer but “firstly a loving husband‚ father and very proud grandfather of five”.

....NSRI Port Elizabeth Station Commander Ian Gray said that adverse weather conditions had prevented an underwater search beyond August 10. Coastal searches had however continued.

“He was last seen on the surface of the water near the dive boat. What happened next‚ nobody is quite sure. There was an extensive search for him. I had nine rescue boats out there‚ seven private boats took part. A South African Air Force helicopter with crew helped‚ members of other emergency services were searching the coastline‚” he said.

“We had SA police divers with volunteer divers assisting. We searched for the entire afternoon without success.”

Fraser‚ he said‚ was with a group of seven divers from the Wildside Dive Club and had 20 years of diving experience.

“At this stage he is still declared missing in the eyes of the authorities. It may take years before he is declared dead. This is for anyone who goes missing. We know from records‚ survival rates are actually quite limited but‚ in saying that‚ there is always the assumption that the person may have been able to make it ashore. Until there is definite information‚ there is no declaration‚” he added.

Kevin Stead‚ a friend and fellow diver‚ said Fraser had an immense love for scuba diving and would be missed.

“We used to dive together regularly. He was fit for his age. Nobody knows quite how it happened or what happened. He was with a group of people when he just disappeared from the surface.”

– TimesLIVE
 
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