Pink to the Rescue

Glen Preston, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said: At 18h39, Tuesday, 6 January, KZN South Coast NSRI’s Nkazimulo Nyawose, of the NSRI drowning prevention team, while inspecting NSRI pink rescue buoys deployed along the KZN South Coast coastline, raised the alarm after witnessing a drowning in progress at Uvongo main beach.

It appeared that there were 2 females, ages 20, caught in rip currents while swimming. A young adult male had gone into the water in attempts to assist them, but he also got into difficulties.

NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew prepared to respond while NSRI’s Nkazimulo alerted Uvongo lifeguards, who had gone off duty as scheduled at 18h00 – but where some lifeguards were still in the area preparing to go home.

Those lifeguards immediately responded and on arrival they utilised an NSRI pink rescue buoy, stationed at Uvongo Beach, to go after the 3 casualties.

Lifeguards assisted one casualty female and the male casualty to get out the water along rocks, they were not injured, while a lifeguard, utilising the NSRI pink rescue buoy, rescued a 20 year old female to the beach.

Netcare 911 ambulance services and Ugu private ambulance services had been activated and on their arrival on the scene they medically treated the female, suffering non-fatal drowning symptoms, and she was transported to hospital by Ugu ambulance in a stable condition – she is expected to make a full recovery.

The swift actions of NSRI’s Nkazimulo and the Uvongo lifeguards, with the contribution of the NSRI pink rescue buoy, is commended.