CAPE TOWN – A Kommetjie shop-owner and a fellow Good Samaritan risked their lives diving into the ocean at Kommetjie Beach to rescue two teenagers who were reported to be drowning on Friday 13 March.
The incident occurred between Sunset Reef and Long Beach.
One of the rescuers, 24-year-old local food shop owner Dylan Rattray, saw the teenagers, aged 17 and 16, struggling in the surf while working at his coffee stand.
Rattray attempted to call the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to raise the alarm while an unidentified male Good Samaritan grabbed an NSRI pink rescue buoy from its pole at Kommetjie Beach, and began wading into the water towards the drowning pair.
At this stage, the pair were caught in the rip currents.
An eyewitness also contacted the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) after seeing the struggling teenagers and the alarm was raised.
Rattray, armed with one NSRI pink rescue buoy, took the second NSRI pink rescue buoy from the Good Samaritan, who was by that stage wading waist-deep in the water.
With both buoys, Rattray swam towards the teenagers and handed one to the 17-year-old, who used the flotation to reach the shoreline, where the unidentified Good Samaritan helped him to the beach.
Rattray then used the second buoy to help the 16-year-old safely to the beach.
The teens were met on the beach by NSRI rescue swimmers and CMR paramedics.
NSRI rescue swimmers, Cape Medical Response (CMR) and Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) rangers responded while NSRI Hout Bay duty crew responded to the NSRI Hout Bay station 8 rescue base and prepared to launch an NSRI rescue craft JetRIB.
NSRI rescue swimmers and CMR paramedics found that the teenagers were safe on the beach after being rescued by Good Samaritans.
They were medically assessed by paramedics and required no further assistance.
The NSRI praised Rattray and the unidentified man for their courageous actions, noting that bystander rescues using NSRI pink rescue buoys have contributed to saving 256 lives since the programme began in 2017.
The organisation emphasised that the buoys should only be used in genuine life-saving situations and urged the public to safeguard them along the coastline.
ALSO READ New R26 million rescue vessel marks milestone for NSRI Mykonos station
