-Edited by Bev Mortimer- Three family members from Benoni on holiday in La Lucia,KwaZulu Natal, were caught in rip currents being and were swept out to sea on morning this week.
They were successfully rescued by volunteer NSRI La Lucia duty crew and an unknown member of the public.
Jan Hoffman, NSRI St Lucia station commander, said thre NSRI crew members were activated following eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress at Main Beach, St Lucia.
NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the beach and the JetRib rescue was towed to the scene.
A former NSRI rescue swimmer, local charter boat skipper, Izan Liebrand, volunteered to assist and he found one person, a 40 year-old woman, already rescued rescued from the surf by an unidentified person using an NSRI Pink Rescue buoy. The rescued woman was uninjured but her sister and father were still in the water beyond back breaking waves.
Izan took a pink rescue buoy and launched into the surf to rescue the father, aged 74, and his 42 year-old daughter. The buoy was used to aid them to stay afloat, particularly for the dad who was struggling to stay afloat.
NSRI rescue swimmers on the JetRib also launched through the surf, reached the casualties and took them to shore.
The two sisters were uninjured but their father appeared to have symptoms of non-fatal drowning. In the care of our NSRI medics they were transported to the NSRI St Lucia rescue station where medical treatment was continued for the father before he was taken by 911 paramedics and transported to hospital in an ambulance. He has since been released from hospital.
Izan was commended for his swift reaction in assisting in saving the lives of the dad and one his daughters. The unidentified public member is also commended for his efforts in saving the life of the one daughter. He left before NSRI could get his details and commend him. The NSRI would like him to come forward by calling NSRI Communications on 0823803800.
The swift reaction by all involved, including our St Lucia public members who raised the alarm, and bystander Dirk Spies who made the first call to NSRI, was also commended.
The number of people so far that have been rescued with a buoy is currently 155 the NSRI says.
