Two good Samaritans’ quick-thinking actions and use of pink NSRI buoys saved the life of a woman who was swept away by strong rip currents while swimming in the Old Harbour in Hermanus.
If it weren’t for the selfless acts of these two bystanders who rushed to the women’s rescue, after noticing her experiencing difficulties and being swept out to sea, the outcome may well have been tragic.
Lando Lombard, NSRI Hermanus Deputy Station Commander, said NSRI received the distress call at 13:53 on Saturday 6 September while busy conducting routine training. The rescue craft Leonard Smith and Rescue 17 Bravo immediately diverted to the Old Harbour following the reports of a drowning in progress. In addition to the two vessels one NSRI vehicle and paramedics with the Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services also raced to the scene to provide assistance.
“On arrival on the scene we found a local female (50) safe on the shore in the care of an Italian doctor who happened to be on the scene and bystanders,” Lombard stated. “The casualty was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and she was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition where she is recovering in the care of doctors and nurses.”
Reports indicate that a bystander who witnessed the scene playing off, threw a pink NSRI rescue buoy towards the woman but it landed out of her reach.
An unidentified woman then jumped into the water and swam to the woman who was in distress. Lombard reported that another good Samaritan, a German man who had recently relocated from the USA to Cape Town and was on holiday in Hermanus at the time, grabbed a second pink rescue buoy and swam to assist.
“By that stage the unidentified lady Good Samaritan had reached the casualty,” Lombard said, “and appeared to have secured her firmly when the German man reached them in the surf zone. The two Good Samaritans rescued the casualty lady and took her to the shore where bystanders, including an Italian doctor, initiated medical care until NSRI and EMS paramedics arrived on the scene. The swift action of the two good Samaritans that saved the woman’s life is commended.”
In a separate incident on Saturday 6 September a man lost his life after the vessel he was on capsized at the Breede River Mouth at Witsand. Despite valiant efforts by the duty crews of three different NSRI stations, the police as well as WC Government Health EMS, which also respond to the scene, the 53-year-old man’s life could not be saved.
Craig Lambinon, the NSRI spokesperson, reported that the NSRI Witsand, NSRI Agulhas and NSRI Stilbaai duty crews were activated at 08:20 following eyewitness reports to the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and the NSRI Witsand duty controller about the boat with four people on board that had capsized.
“Eyewitness reports confirmed a ski-boat with four crew onboard – a dad (52), his two teenage daughters (17 and 14) from Robertson, Western Cape, and a male friend (35) – had capsized in the vicinity of the sand bar in the Breede River Mouth while appearing to be exiting the river mouth. NSRI crew, from all three NSRI rescue stations, the SA Police Services and WC Government Health EMS responded.”
A local fishing vessel, with the NSRI crew on board launched to assist with the rescue operation while the crew of The Jolly Roger, a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) also set off with relatives and friends of the people in distress. They managed to rescue all four casualties from the water. CPR efforts commenced on the man from Robertson who was found to be unconscious and unresponsive.
Lambinon stated that a doctor and EMS paramedics who attended the scene joined the CPR efforts. “After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted sadly the man was declared deceased,” said Lambinon. “The man’s two daughters and the male friend were not injured. The casualty boat has been recovered. The body of the deceased man was taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.”
Lambinon went on to express his condolences with the deceased man’s family and commended the skipper and crew of the Jolly Rodger as well as the local fishing vessel for their swift actions in rescuing the four casualties from the water.
