Johann Koekemoer, NSRI Hermanus duty coxswain, said: At 18h35, Saturday, 7 November, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Onrus Beach, near to Hermanus
NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene while our duty crew responded to our NSRI station 17 rescue base to prepare to launch rescue craft and the NSRI rescue vehicle was dispatched.
WC Government Health EMS and CMC (Critical Medical Care) ambulance service were activated and responded.
On arrival on the scene we found the casualty safely ashore. The 42 year old man was medically assessed by EMS paramedics and he was released requiring no further medical care with the advice to be cautious for symptoms of non-fatal drowning.
The 42 year old man, from Pretoria, who has recently relocated to Hermanus, was caught in the strong rip currents while swimming in the surf zone.
2 local fisherman who were packing up from fishing to go home noticed the man caught in the strong rip currents that were prevailing at Onrus Beach at the time.
One of the fishermen, Azhar Gierdien, a Good Samaritan, the brother of a former NSRI Hermanus trainee crewman, who had seen the man trying desperately to escape the rip currents and trying to swim back to shore, he ran and grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy that is stationed at Onrus Beach and he launched into the water armed with the NSRI pink rescue buoy.
Azhar reached the man as he was nearing the shoreline and Azhar assisted him to the beach aided by the floatation of the pink rescue buoy.
NSRI commend Mr Gierdien for his swift actions and we commend the eyewitness that raised the alarm.
This is the 268th successful rescue that NSRI are aware of that has involved an NSRI pink rescue buoy.
No harm has come to any rescuer Good Samaritan using an NSRI pink rescue buoy in a bystander Good Samaritan rescue since the inception of the NSRI pink rescue buoy’s around South Africa in 2017.
