Pink to the Rescue

Jerome Simonis, NSRI Knysna station commander, said: At 14h52, Saturday, 7 February, NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Die Blokke, Fishermans Walk, Brenton-on-Sea.

NSRI rescue swimmers, nearby at the time, responded to investigate while our duty crew responded to our NSRI Knysna station 12 rescue base and we launched the NSRI rescue craft Katharine and JayTee IV.

NSRI rescuers arriving on the scene found both casualties, a couple, – a man, age 78, and his wife, age 74, from Switzerland, were safely out of the water.

They were medically assessed and not injured, barring some exhaustion, they required no further assistance.

It appears that couple were caught in rip currents while taking a swim.

A local couple, a man and his girlfriend, were nearby at the time when they heard a commotion. On investigating they found a man and his wife appearing to be in distress caught in rip currents. The casualty man had reached rocks and he was in the water hanging onto the rocks.

The male Good Samaritan, Justin Lucas, age 36, launched into the surf and he reached the casualty man.

His girlfriend Kathryn Talken, age 39, (originally from Johannesburg), she had grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy that she then handed to the casualty lady, who had by then reached the shoreline.

The wife of the casualty man launched into the surf with the NSRI pink rescue buoy – to go to the assistance of her husband.

During this time Justin was able to rescue the man to the shoreline but then he noticed that the lady was in distress in the surf zone. He shouted to her to use the floatation of the NSRI pink rescue buoy, which she did.

She reached rocks where Justin reached her on the rocks and pulled her onto the rocks safely.

NSRI arriving on the scene attended to the couple and they required no further assistance.

NSRI commend Justin for his swift actions in rescuing the couple and we commend Kathryn for her assistance giving the lady the NSRI pink rescue buoy.

Their swift actions contributed to saving the lives of the foreign couple.