Wilderness Rescue

Mike Vonk, NSRI Wilderness station commander, said: At 15h41, Wednesday, 22 November, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated by eyewitnesses who reported 2 people being pulled out to sea in a rip current at Herold’s Bay, Southern Cape. At the same time former lifeguard Corne Calitz and Steven Steyn, a local surfer also observed the unfolding emergency, from Dutton’s Cove Restaurant and drove down to the beach to assist.

NSRI Wilderness, NSRI Mossel Bay rescue swimmers, Hartenbos Lifesaving lifeguards, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad, George Fire and Rescue Services, ER24 ambulance services, and Eden Events paramedic.

It appears that an 11-year-old girl was caught in rip currents while swimming. Her dad, age 36, had gone into the water to try to and both were in grave distress caught in rip currents. The family are from Sandton, Johannesburg.

Our NSRI Wilderness rescue craft Oscars Rescuer was prepared to be launched on the scene from the community sponsored garage in Herold’s Bay.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Center), at the NSRI EOC control room in Milnerton, Cape Town, used the beach safety camera to relay updated information to the responding resources.

Meanwhile Hartenbos Lifesaving lifeguard Ian Barnard, 18, who was at Herold’s Bay grabbed an NSRI pink rescue buoy, that is stationed at the beach, and he swam out. Reaching the 2 casualties he handed them the pink buoy to aid them to stay afloat, while he attempted to calm them and prevent panic.

Ian admits that the dad, in his panic, had desperately tried to climb onto him, while the girl used the pink buoy to stay afloat.

Realising the grave danger they were all facing in the strong rip currents, Ian had no choice but to retreat away from them knowing that with only the one pink rescue buoy amongst them – when Ian retreated the dad would have no choice but to use the pink buoy, with his daughter, for both of them to stay afloat until additional help arrived.

Ian swam back to the beach where a bystander handed him a second pink rescue buoy (that is also stationed at that beach) and Ian ran along rocks to re-enter the water nearer to the casualties.

By this stage Good Samaritans Steven Steyn, 19, a local surfer, and Corne Calitz, 26, had entered the water with their surfboards.

Corne reached the casualties first and used his surfboard to aid the dad and daughter to stay afloat. They continued to be pulled out to sea towards where the waves were breaking on the rocks. While Ian was readying to jump into the water from the rocks with second pink rescue buoy, Corne arrived with his surfboard. Between them they quickly devised a plan that Corne would first paddle back to rescue the daughter, while Steven would wait for assistance with the father holding onto his surfboard.

On arriving on the scene Adam Helling, an NSRI Wilderness rescue swimmer (and Herold’s Bay lifeguard) launched into the water with his personal torpedo rescue buoy. Ian, with the second pink rescue buoy, and Adam, with his personal rescue buoy, helpedg Steven and Corne, with their surfboards, to get the 2 casualties to shore.

Corne managed to successfully get back to shallow water young girl and was assisted by bystanders to her onto the beach. The father and other rescuers had been pulled out further to sea and were struggling to make way in the breaking waves. They eventually managed to assist the father onto the rocks in the shallow water near the shore.

Good Samaritan, Tristan van Wyk, 20, from George, had also entered the water. As the 4 rescuers reached the shallows, with the 2 casualties, Tristan had also assisted to aid the 2 casualties from the water.

By this stage additional NSRI rescue swimmers, and emergency services were arriving on the scene.

The 2 casualties were medically treated on the beach for non-fatal drowning symptoms and exhaustion.

They were stabilised by paramedics and transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance, with the father in a critical but stable condition. Another good Samaritan drove the mom, who was on the beach during the incident with her 2 other young children, to hospital. The father and daughter were treated overnight in hospital and are both expected to fully recover.

NSRI commend the swift reactions of Ian, Steven, Corne, Adam and Tristan, who all contributed to lives being saved.

This incident has again highlighted the importance of the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy program, launched in 2017, that has contributed to 160 lives saved (that we know of). 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.

NSRI URGENT SAFETY ALERT:

At least 7 drowning accidents, where it is believed 4 were fatal, along the KZN South Coast this past weekend, along the coast and at an inland river, a fatal drowning accident at Witbank Dam this past Saturday, and Wednesday’s non-fatal drowning accident at Herold’s Bay, has emphasised the urgency in an appeal by NSRI, lifeguards, the emergency services and Police, to adopt a safety conscious mind-set in and around water around the coastline and on inland rivers, lakes and dams.

LETS KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE

We are appealing to everyone to adopt safety in all activities this summer season.

Bathers at beaches should only swim where and when lifeguards are on duty – swim at the safer swimming zone lifeguards post at our beaches – obey the lifeguards for you and your family’s safety

LETS KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE

We are appealing to everyone to adopt safety in all activities this summer season.

Bathers at beaches should only swim where and when lifeguards are on duty – swim at the safer swimming zone lifeguards post at our beaches – obey the lifeguards for you and your family’s safety

Beach bathers, shoreline anglers, and coastal hikers at the coast be aware of 2 high tides and 2 low tides around the coast every day – be aware of rip currents that suck bathers out to sea.

During the full moon phase and during new moon phase there is a phenomenon called a SPRING TIDE that brings higher than normal high tides and lower than normal low tides that can cause stronger than normal rip currents

Inland bathers at rivers, lakes, dams and swimming pools – only swim with a floating object for safety and be safe – don’t venture in too deep and don’t get out of your depth – if you get into trouble in any coastal or at any inland waterway simply stay afloat and don’t panic – use the air in your lungs for floatation and tread water moving your arms and legs in circular movements.

Parents, always ensure responsible sober adults supervise children while they are swimming

Boaters, paddlers, surfers and sailors – download and always use the NSRI SafeTrx smartphone App when out on the water – carry and know how to use your safety equipment – a referee whistle, red distress flares, cell phone fully charged in a water-tight plastic sleeve – have safety top of mind always and let’s all see the new years and 2024 through safely on our South African waters