Jonathan Britton, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said: At 21h43, Wednesday, 21 January, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following reports to the NSRI Wilderness duty phone from an eyewitness raising the alarm for a fisherman suspected to be in distress at Swartvlei Beach, Sedgefield.
Off-duty NSRI lifeguards, who were in the area at the time camping nearby, had also been alerted following a commotion at the beach, indicating a person appearing to be in distress in the water.
NSRI Wilderness rescue swimmers and NSRI medics responded while the off-duty NSRI lifeguards, who were camping nearby in the area at the time, and local community volunteer medical personnel, were activated and responded.
Knysna Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services and WC Government Health EMS were activated and responded.
Reports suggested that what appeared to be a headlamp, worn by a local fisherman who had been fishing from the beach and who was noticed to be wading into shallow surf, had disappeared under water in the surf zone and immediately bystanders witnessing the incident raised the alarm.
On investigation the off-duty lifeguards, who had grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy that is stationed on the beach, they located a 22 year old male fisherman, from George, who was in shallow water barely conscious appearing to be trying to get himself to the shoreline.
The off-duty NSRI lifeguards assisted the man to the shoreline and initiated medical care to the man who was by that stage unresponsive and he was in a serious condition presenting with non-fatal drowning symptoms.
The lifeguards were joined by NSRI medics, and also joined by the local community volunteer paramedics and then Police and the emergency services.
The man was stabilised by paramedics and he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a serious but stable condition.
Following medical treatment in hospital, in the care of doctors and nurses, the man was discharged from hospital on Thursday.
The man had been fishing when he got into difficulties in shallow surf and he may have been caught in rip currents that swept him into the surf zone.
The eyewitnesses that raised the alarm and the swift response of the off-duty NSRI lifeguards, the community volunteer paramedics, NSRI Wilderness, Police and the emergency services, is commended for contributing to saving the man’s life.
Bystander eyewitnesses have praised the swift response, the professionalism, compassion and cooperation displayed by the joint teams that responded to this incident.
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