PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) pink rescue buoy initiative may have saved the life of a holidaymaker in Plettenberg Bay on Monday.
Plettenberg Bay NSRI station commander Marc Rodgers said volunteers, at 17:40, responded to reports of three beach goers in difficulty in the water at Robberg 5 beach.
“On arrival on the scene three people, a Johannesburg father and son, and an adult female, also from Johannesburg, were treated on the beach for non-fatal drowning symptoms,” Rodgers said. The father and son had seemingly found themselves in difficulty in the surf.
A couple on holiday in Plettenberg Bay noticed the incident and intervened with the wife launching into the surf to try and assist. “She however got caught in rip currents.”
Rodgers said a bystander grabbed the pink buoy and handed it to the the woman’s husband who was then able to rescue his wife. “The father and son were also able to get out of the water onto the beach.”
The woman was transported to hospital in a stable condition and kept there overnight. “She has since been released from hospital today (Tuesday).”
NSRI medics transported the father and son to hospital as a precautionary measure and following observations for non-fatal drowning symptoms, they were released.
NSRI pink rescue buoys stationed around the coastline have been used in 46 successful surf rescues since the programme was launched by NSRI in cooperation with local municipalities.
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