A family holiday in Bali took an unexpected turn when a Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club lifeguard sprang into action to rescue a struggling swimmer at a resort pool.
Kate Rautenbach had arrived in Bali with her family just a day earlier when she found herself responding to an emergency at the Bintang Bali Resort in Kuta on Wednesday 8 July at about 13:30.
Relaxing beside the pool with her father, Rautenbach heard splashing followed by a panicked cry for help.
Looking up, she spotted a man struggling to stay afloat in the deep end of the pool, about 10 metres away.
Without hesitation, she leapt from her sun lounger and dived into the water.
Rautenbach quickly reached the swimmer, believed to be in his 30s, and managed to support him and keep him afloat until the resort’s pool lifeguard arrived with a flotation device.
Working together, they safely guided the man to the edge of the pool.
It later emerged that the man had been using a pool noodle with his child in the shallow end of the pool. When the flotation aid drifted into the deeper section, measuring about 1,7 metres, he followed it but suddenly found himself out of his depth and unable to stay above the surface.
Thanks to Rautenbach’s swift intervention, the incident ended without serious injury.
Club praises lifeguard’s courage
The Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club said Rautenbach’s actions reflected the high level of training and dedication shown by its volunteer lifeguards.
“We commend Kate for her vigilance and quick response to the distressed swimmer,” the club said.
“Her instinctive response, based on years of experience as a lifeguard at Milnerton Beach, averted a tragedy and gave a father back to his family.”
Although thousands of kilometres from home and officially on holiday, Rautenbach’s lifesaving instincts never switched off.
The rescue serves as a reminder that drowning can happen in swimming pools as easily as at the beach, and that trained lifeguards are prepared to respond whenever and wherever an emergency arises.
For the Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club, Rautenbach’s actions are another example of the professionalism, vigilance and commitment that its members bring to protecting lives, both at home and abroad.
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