Sedgefield’s Remarkable Rescue

NSRI STN 23 WILDERNESS: The NSRI has commended Brooklyn Boesak, 13, from Sedgefield Primary School, locals Daniel Armoed, 41 and Piet van Rooyen, 48, and Louis Lombard, 31, who is visiting from Pretoria, for their efforts that saved a local 41 year old mans life on Sunday 26 November, at Sedgefield Lagoon Mouth.

The casualty, following treatment at hospital, was released this week with a clean bill of health.

Brooklyn had seen the man in difficulty in the water, he swam to the man to try to rescue him but despite efforts to rescue the man, including pulling on him to try keep him to stay afloat, the man disappeared under water.

By that stage local man Daniel had also rushed into the water to help and Brooklyn showed Daniel where the man had disappeared under water.

Daniel descended 2 to 3 meters under water at the site and on locating the man on the bed of the lagoon he was able to bring him to the surface where, together with Brooklyn, they rescued the lifeless body of the man to the shore.

On reaching the shoreline Piet and Louis rushed to assist Brooklyn and Daniel to get the man out of the water – he was breathless and pulseless.

Other bystanders assured them that rescue services were well on their way.

Without hesitation they initiated bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation efforts and after continuing with CPR for 5 to 8 minutes the man started to expel water and he started to breath spontaneously and a feint pulse was restored.

Paramedics and NSRI medics arrived and ongoing medical treatment was administered before he was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a critical condition.

The efforts of doctors and nurses at a local hospital contributed to the man making a full recovery.

The gallant efforts of Brooklyn, Daniel, Piet and Louis saved the mans life.

See original media statement below …

SEDGEFIELD:

NSRI STN 23 WILDERNESS

At Sedgfield Lagoon Mouth a 41 year old local Good Samaritan bystander rescued an unidentified adult male from under the water and on bringing him to shore bystanders initiated CPR efforts and were able to restore a pulse and spontaneous breathing.

NSRI Wilderness, Knysna Fire and Rescue Services, ER24 ambulance services and the SA Police Services responded, Sunday 26 November.

A 13 year old local male had also tried to rescue the man but retreated after the man had disappeared under water.

NSRI medics and ER24 paramedics arriving on the scene continued with medical treatment and the man was been transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a critical condition.

NSRI are appealing to the family of the 13 year old to call NSRI’s Craig Lambinon at 0823803800.

NSRI commend the 13 year old and the 41 year old man for their efforts that contributed to saving the life of the man.

WILDERNESS:

NSRI STN 23 WILDERNESS:

Mike Vonk, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said:

On Wednesday, 29 November, at 18h46, NSRI Wilderness, while conducting routine maintenance and routine training at the NSRI Wilderness rescue station, were alerted to a drowning in progress at Wilderness Beach.

Our NSRI Wilderness quad bike and our NSRI rescue vehicle, carrying rescue swimmers, together with ER24 ambulance services, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and George Fire and Rescue Services.

Our NSRI Wilderness JetRib, Ann Stratford, was prepared to be launched.

On arrival on the scene a 24 year old Dutch tourist was found being brought out of the water by his friends.

He was medically treated on the beach, by NSRI medics, for non-fatal drowning symptoms and he was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a stable condition and he has since been released from hospital.

It appears that 4 friends, Dutch tourists, were swimming in the surfline when they noticed strong rip currents, in an outgoing tide, were pulling them out to sea.

3 of the friends were able to retreat to the shore but the 24 year old was swept away.

His friend, age 22, went to his aid and on reaching him, finding him to be exhausted in the water, the casualty friend had tried to climb on top of his rescuer friend in an effort to use his friend for floatation.

The 22 year old was able to turn his friend around and with him lying on his back the friend brought him safely to shore – admitting that it was a long and difficult swim.

NSRI commend the 22 year old man for saving his friends life. They are all from Netherlands.

PORT EDWARD:

NSRI STN 32 PORT EDWARD:

Gert du Plessis, NSRI Port Edward station commander, said:

At 15h21, Thursday, 30 November, NSRI Port Edward duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Glenmore Beach.

NSRI Port Edward rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene while our NSRI Port Edward rescue vehicle, EMRS (KZN Government Health EMS), the SA Police Services and Police Search and Rescue responded.

On arrival on the scene the 20 year old male casualty was out of the water and he was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and he was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition and he has since been released from hospital.

In a remarkable effort bystanders had gone beyond the extra mile to rescue the man from the water.

2 locals, Phakamani Ngeleka, age 20 and Muqobi Ngeleka, age 16, had launched into the surf with 2 NSRI pink rescue buoys, that are stationed at Glenmore Beach, and they had used the pink buoys to help to keep the casualty afloat.

Another local man, Sphiwe Mbele, a former lifeguard, had also launched into the surfline to assist.

While they were gradually bringing the casualty towards the shore through the surfline, using the pink buoys to aid in their floatation, at least 50 bystanders, teenagers and adults, males and females, had formed a human chain from the beach into the water.

As the 3 rescuers reached the human chain the bystanders used that human chain to help to get the casualty out the water.

Eye-witness reports has verified this remarkable community effort, the forming of a human chain, together with the Good Samaritans using 2 NSRI pink rescue buoys, contributed to saving the man’s life and is highly commended.

On Saturday, 2 December, during the morning, while NSRI Port Edward crew were conducting routine training – an MEC (Medical Emergency Course) annual practical test- it was noticed a man being swept out to sea in rip currents at Silver beach.

The man’s dad and a lifeguard had launched into the water to assist.

Our NSRI rescue vehicle responded where NSRI rescue swimmers and Emithonsaneni Lifesaving lifeguards, using an NSRI pink rescue buoy, yellow rescue buoys, and Malibu rescue boards, launched into the surfline to assist.

The combination of NSRI rescue swimmers, the Emithonsaneni lifeguards, the pink buoy, yellow buoys and Malibu rescue boards, were successful in rescuing the man and his son safely out the water.

The dad and his 20 year old son were transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance in stable conditions and they are expected to make a full recoveries.

The NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy program, launched in 2017, has now successfully contributed to 167 lives saved (that we know of) around South Africa.
All in water rescues have been successful and no harm has come to any of the rescuers who have used an NSRI pink rescue buoy to help someone in distress and in danger of drowning.

SIMONSTOWN

NSRI STN 10 SIMONSTOWN

Simon McDonnell, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said:

At 09h03, Friday, 1 December, NSRI Simonstown duty crew were activated following reports from a resident in Simonstown of 2 people clinging to the upturned hull of their capsized craft, with flotsam visible in the water around the capsized boat – a nautical mile off-shore of Rocklands, Murdoch Valley.

NSRI Simonstown coast watcher’s were alerted while the vigilant eye-witness continued to keep a visual on the casualties.

Our NSRI duty crew, and additional off-duty crew, raced expeditiously to our NSRI Simonstown rescue station where NSRI rescue swimmers suited up in their gear while the NSRI Simonstown rescue craft Donna Nicholas was swiftly launched.

The NSRI Simonstown rescue vehicle responded to Murdoch Valley and the CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network was alerted.

CMR (Cape Medical Response) responded.

On arrival in the area, thanks to the vigilance of the original eye-witness, who had raised the alarm and who was keeping watch of the casualty upturned hull of the boat that appeared to be sinking with the 2 men clinging onto the upturned hull, following a brief search we located them and NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the water to affect a rescue of the 2 local men.

Their capsized craft was semi-submerged and our NSRI rescue swimmers assisted the 2 casualties through the water towards our rescue craft where they were safely recovered onto the rescue craft.

NSRI medics initiated rewarming procedures for hypothermia sustained to both men.

Considering the serious medical conditions of both men the decision was taken by coxswain Darren Zimmerman to place a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) on the semi-submerged capsized casualty craft – in order to monitor her position – while Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships VHF marine radio alert to shipping in the area to avoid the maritime navigational hazard, while NSRI brought the 2 men to our rescue station to be taken into the care of CMR paramedics.

Following rewarming procedures both men required no further medical care.

Our NSRI rescue craft returned to the position of the PLB where the casualty craft was again located (thanks to the PLB). The casualty craft was righted and brought to our rescue station and returned to the owners without incident.

The vigilance of the eye-witness – we strongly believe if the man at his house had not spotted them in their plight they may have gone unnoticed well into the day and they could well have not been found – combined with the assistance of our NSRI Simonstown coast watchers and the swift response of our NSRI Simonstown volunteer rescuers, is commended for contributing to both men’s lives being saved.

NSRI commend the assistance of Telkom Maritime Radio Services during the rescue and recovery operation that completed at 13h23.

The 2 local men had been fishing when their boat was capsized by a wave.