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Port Alfred Teenager Saves 3 Family Members

A local teenager, Good Samaritan, is commended for successfully and safely rescuing 3 people, saving their lives.

Gerrit Cloete, NSRI Port Alfred deputy station commander, said: At 10h40, Saturday, 8 February, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at East Beach.

Reports were of locals, a brother and sister, male age 12, a female age, 19, who were caught in rip currents during the turn of high tide.

A local teenager, Jason Palmer, who had been surfing and who was exiting the water, had noticed the 2 casualties being swept out to sea and he launched, with his surfboard, to go their assistance.

The mom, age 42, then also launched into the water to try to assist.

The incident had been posted to a social media site and by chance an NSRI crew members friend had seen the post on social media and he raised the alarm calling NSRI.

NSRI rescue swimmers and the NSRI rescue vehicle responded to the scene while NSRI Port Alfred crew responded to the NSRI Port Alfred station 11 rescue base where they launched the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha.

Gardmed ambulance services were activated.

On arrival on the scene we found all 3 casualties safely on the beach.

The 3 casualties were assessed by paramedics and the mom, found to be suffering non fatal drowning symptoms, was transported to hospital by Gardmed ambulance where she has been discharged following medical treatment.

The remaining 2 casualties were not injured.

A local surfer, Jason Palmer, age 16, a learner at Port Alfred High School, while exiting the water from a surfing session, had noticed the teenager and child being swept out to sea. Using his surfboard he went to their assistance loading both casualties onto his surfboard and paddling, and swimming, them towards the shore. Then in the surf zone he also took the mom onboard his surfboard and he managed to get all three of them safely ashore.

Jason has been commended for his efforts that saved three lives.

NSRI are appealing to the local public, in Port Alfred and neighbouring areas around Port Alfred, to call NSRI in a water related emergency. Only call in a (people/persons) caught in a water related emergency distress – call the NSRI Port Alfred emergency duty phone 0829905971, NSRI National Emergency Operations Centre 0870949774, or The National Emergency Number 112 (from a cellphone).

NSRI has also commended the local friend of an NSRI Port Alfred volunteer who had noticed the posting on social media and who had immediately raised the alarm.

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