The important role NSRI pink rescue buoys play in emergencies at sea was once again highlighted during a rescue at Kleinmond Beach last week, during which a tourist was caught in rip currents when he tried to assist his wife who had also been caught in the rip current.
Schalk Boonzaaier, the NSRI Kleinmond station commander, confirmed the NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated at 16:36 on Tuesday 4 February, following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Kleinmond Main Beach.
NSRI rescue swimmers as well as CMC (Critical Medical Care) ambulance services responded to the beach while the rescue craft JetRib was launched.
Boonzaaier said an adult female from the United Kingdom had been caught in rip currents while swimming. Her husband had gone to her assistance, but together they were both in difficulties in rip currents while separated from each other.
A South African woman living in Scotland who was here on holiday jumped into action, grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy and swam towards the casualties after witnessing the incident. The woman, a former lifeguard, then released the pink rescue buoy in the rip current.
Boonzaaier reported that the rescue buoy drifted towards the man, who was able to grab hold of it. Unfortunately he was swept further out to sea and across the beach front while holding onto the buoy for flotation.
“An adult male good Samaritan, believed to be from Germany, also launched into the water. He reached the casualty British lady and assisted her out of the water. The female good Samaritan managed to get to the rocks where she exited the water safely.”
The British man, however, was swept further out to sea, beyond the breakers. A NSRI rescue swimmer managed to reach him and assisted him through the surf zone to get safely back to the beach.
The casualties were medically assessed by CMC paramedics before being released requiring no further medical care.
The NSRI commended the woman who assisted by getting the NSRI pink rescue buoy to the man as well as the German tourist for his assistance in rescuing the woman.
“And we commend our NSRI rescue swimmers who waded in to help,” said Craig Lambinon, national spokesperson, “the member of the public who got the lady out of the water and the NSRI rescue swimmer who reached the man and brought him safely out of the water. These efforts contributed to saving two lives. The NSRI pink rescue buoy also played a major role in helping to keep the man afloat while he was being swept out to sea.
“This is the 215th (that we know of) successful rescue where an NSRI pink rescue buoy has contributed in saving lives since the inception of the pink rescue buoy programme in 2017.”