This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.
The National Sea Rescue Institute in Port Elizabeth was activated, after a 48-year old paddler from St Francis Bay went missing in the vicinity of Sardinia Bay on Saturday.
NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon says a group of paddlers embarked on a downwind paddle, from Summerstrand down the Wild Side towards a landing spot in Sardinia Bay early in the moring.
He says conditions deteriorated with visibility reduced by mist in rough sea swells of 3 meters and a steady 25 knot South Easterly wind.
Lambinon says the paddler was later spotted 3 quarters of a nautical mile West of the intended landing spot and he appeared to be in the water, hanging onto his surf ski, and drifting rapidly towards a reef and breaking wave sets.
He says rescuers managed to get to the man, who was suffering from severe hypothermia.
He was later transported by ambulance to hospital in a critical but stable condition.
