Gerrit Cloete, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said: At 07h45, Thursday, 25 December, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following reports from an NSRI Port Alfred crewman, who happened to be at the scene at the time, of a drowning in progress at Kelly’s Beach, Port Alfred.
NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI rescue vehicle, Gardmed ambulance services, Ndlambe Municipal lifeguards and the SA Police Services responded.
A couple, from Durban, staying with family at Port Alfred, who had engaged with a local 29 year old male, who had arrived at the beach in a bus with a group of people, who appeared to be arriving at Kelly’s Beach for the day – they had noticed the man enter the water and almost immediately he appeared to get into distress.
The husband, a Good Samaritan, entered the water to assist the casualty man who was caught in rip currents.
He was followed by his wife, a Good Samaritan, armed with the NSRI pink rescue buoy that is stationed at Kelly’s Beach, to assist.
A local young man, a Good Samaritan, had also entered the water to assist.
Together, assisted by the NSRI pink rescue buoy, they were able to get the casualty man safely to the beach.
On NSRI, Police, lifeguards and paramedics arriving on the scene, medical treatment was provided to the casualty man who was transported to hospital by Gardmed ambulance in a stable condition for observation for non-fatal drowning symptoms.
The Good Samaritans are commended for their efforts that contributed to saving the life of the casualty.
NSRI pink rescue buoys, stationed around South African by NSRI, in cooperation with Municipalities, are responsible for saving the lives of 231 persons in bystander rescues since the programmes inception in 2017.
No harm has come to any of the bystander rescuers using an NSRI pink rescue buoy to aid in a rescue.
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