Quick action at West Pier saves man

Observers, rescue buoy all play vital part

A man swept off West Pier, Port Alfred, owes his life to the combination of a quick response and determination, along with the NSRI’s Pink Buoy project.

The man, in his early 20s, was spotted as waves washed him off the pier into the Kowie River. Keryn van der Walt, NSRI Port Alfred duty coxswain, said a patron at beachfront restaurant Guido’s had noticed him because he appeared to be acting strangely.

“The man was wearing a wetsuit, appearing to be fishing using a rope, and on a section of West Pier washed over by waves in the incoming high tide,” Van der Walt said. “The eye-witness watched as a wave swept over the man and washed him off West Pier into the river.”

He alerted the manager of the restaurant and called NSRI to raise the alarm. Meanwhile the restaurant manager had run to where the rescue buoy was sited nearby on West Beach.

“The manager ran on to West Pier and he was able to throw the pink rescue buoy to the casualty who was able to grab hold of it while he was being battered by waves in the surf line,” Van der Walt said.

“Our NSRI duty crew launched a sea rescue craft. Gardmed ambulance services were activated.”

An off-duty NSRI trainee rescue swimmer nearby at the time saw the commotion and ran along West Pier, stripped down and jumped into the river to help the man.

“But when he reached the man, about 50m into the river, he found only the rescue buoy afloat with no sign of the man, who had by now slipped under water,” Van der Walt said.

The swimmer pulled on the rope and leash to the rescue buoy. “To his surprise, he could feel resistance, so he continued to pull,” Van der Walt said.

When the man’s leg appeared, it became obvious the rope had somehow tangled itself around him. The rescue swimmer was able to get the man’s head above water, but he was not breathing.

“At that stage our NSRI rescue craft, Rescue 11 Alpha, arrived and we initiated medical treatment and brought the man to our rescue station.”

The man had started spontaneous breathing and expelling water from his lungs.

NSRI medics continued with oxygen therapy and handed the man to Gardmed paramedics. They transported the man, who was in a serious condition, to hospital by ambulance. The man was recovering in hospital but Talk of The Town had not yet received a response to a request for an update on his status by the time of going to press.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the Port Alfred police on 046-6241583 or Port Alfred Hospital on 046- 604-4000 or NSRIEOC (emergency operations centre) on 087-094-9774.

“The NSRI commends the swift reaction of all involved in the successful rescue, in particular the manager of Guido’s, Irvin Arendse, for his assistance that contributed to saving the man’s life,” Van der Walt said.

This was the third life saved by the same NSRI pink rescue buoy at West Beach and the 122nd recorded life saved by the contribution of an NSRI pink rescue buoy, she said.

The Pink Rescue Buoy initiative was established in 2017 and has since been a lifesaving innovation for the prevention of drowning. The rescue buoys are strategically placed at selected beaches along the coastline as well as at some inland dams and rivers.

These can be used as emergency flotation until help arrives when there are no lifeguards on duty. Members of the public can sponsor a Rescue Buoy at a cost of R1,500.

For more information, email pinkrescuebuoys@searescue.org.za