The pink buoy is a lifesaver.
By Shahied Joseph
A National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Pink Rescue Buoy and three members of the public contributed to saving the life of a teenager who was being swept out to sea in a rip current at Rocklands Beach, Sea Point, on Saturday, November 6.
According to the NSRI report, Kerry Feldman, from Tokai, a former rescue coordinator at The Mountain Club of South Africa, was cycling with her children in Sea Point when she noticed a commotion at Rocklands Beach and on investigating she saw a young girl being swept out to sea.
Someone had thrown the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy to the girl and the buoy was moving towards the girl in the same rip current, according to Ms Feldman.
Ms Feldman raised the alarm, alerting NSRI, while two men, Duane Povey, 33, from Somerset West, and a man only identified as Matt, assessed the situation and decided to assist and both of them entered the water.
By that stage the buoy had reached the girl and she was attempting to hold onto it.
The NSRI Emergency Operations Centre and NSRI Table Bay duty crew were alerted.
Duane and Matt reached the girl about 30 to 40 meters off-shore and they assisted her to get a better grip on the pink rescue buoy and between them they swam the teenager safely to shore. She was not injured and was returned into the care of her family members.
NSRI commended the men who contributed to saving the teenager’s life.
This is the 80th life saved with the contribution of an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy since the inception of the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy programme in 2017, said NSRI drowning prevention manager, Andrew Ingram.