Busy day at beaches for rescue squads
Drownings, near-drownings countrywide
THE National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the police, lifeguards and paramedics were kept busy on New Year’s Day, with several near-drowning and drowning incidents recorded countrywide.
The NSRI said yesterday an incident took place at Palmiet beach in Kleinmond in the Overberg region.
Lifeguards and a member of the public rescued a 17-year-old male, from Caledon, who was caught in rip currents. “The teenager was treated by paramedics for non-fatal drowning symptoms and transported to hospital in a serious, but stable condition,” said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
Just before 3pm in Table View community medics were alerted to reports of a drowning in progress at Table View beach. A 30-year-old man was rescued by a local bystander.
CPR was administered by lifeguards and paramedics, but despite exhaustive efforts, the man was declared dead.
A second incident was reported in Table View just after 4pm where a man and a woman were swept out to sea.
At about 7pm, another incident took place in Table View beach, where a 23-year-old man was swept to sea by rip currents. The man, from Duduza in Joburg, was not found, and search operations would continue.
A drowning in progress was reported at Strand, at 3pm, where a 15-year-old boy was pulled from rip currents in the surf by lifeguards.
“Paramedics treated the teenager for non-fatal drowning symptoms and he was transported to hospital by GB Med Security ambulance in a serious, but stable condition,” said Lambinon.
Again at the Strand, at about 4pm, a drowning in progress was reported. All emergency teams responded. “Members of the public ran to the Strand municipal swimming pool to call the lifeguard on duty at the pool,” said Lambinon.
City of Cape Town lifeguard Cameron Vannithing responded and rescued a 30-year-old male from rip currents. The man was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
In Small Bay, just before 5pm, lifeguards rescued a 35-year-old man from the surf. Despite extensive CPR, the man was declared dead by paramedics.
Just after 5pm in Buffels Bay authorities were alerted to three women and one man being swept to sea by rip currents. All four were rescued by “four Good Samaritans”, said Lambinon, whose identities remain unknown.
At 3.20pm, NSRI Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal dispatched a sea rescue craft to the Bay Hall area after reports of a child gone missing in the water.
The police search and rescue, lifeguards and uMhlathuze Fire and Rescue responded.
“NSRI rescued an 8-year-old boy from the water. He was transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition,” said Lambinon.
“Then, at about 5.22pm, NSRI were notified that the police search and rescue recovered the body of the child who went missing in the water earlier.”
In Westbrook, near Ballito, at about 5.20pm, a drowning in progress was reported. A girl, 13, was rescued.