The rescue of a trapped bush buck in the Kowie River in Port Alfred on Friday led to the rescue of a man badly injured in an assault on the river bank.
NSRI Port Alfred deputy station commander Stephen Slade says theyr duty crew were activated following reports of a bush buck seemingly trapped in the water between the canal and the marina on the Kowie River.
It appeared that the buck, a juvenile ram, had been trying to get up a steep slope to get out of the water.
Slade says NSRI volunteers secured the buck and took it upstream on their sea rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha and released it back onto land.
While returning to base, approximately 3km upstream on the Kowie River, the NSRI crew was hailed by a man on the river bank calling for help.
Slade says the 24-year-old local man had sustained multiple injuries after being assaulted by a group of men the night before.
He was taken to the NSRI base where police and a Guardmed ambulance service were waiting to take him to hospital for further treatment.
Police are investigating a case of assault.
