Cape Town – A German couple was rescued by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) on Friday after being swept out to sea in Plettenberg Bay.
The husband and wife are both aged 63.
The incident happened around 11:00 when reports were received of a drowning in progress off the Robberg Nature Reserve, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander Jaco Kruger said.
“Eye-witnesses reported 2 people being swept out to sea.
“The NSRI Plettenberg Bay siren was sounded and our duty crew responded to our NSRI base where three sea rescue craft were launched, while NSRI rescue swimmers, in their private vehicles, responded directly to the Robberg Nature Reserve parking area and ran along the hiking trail to reach the scene,” said Kruger.
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He said that an NSRI rescue swimmer reached The Island and confirmed that it was a couple being swept out to sea.
They had already been swept about 100 metres across the beach and they were by that stage behind the backline and still in grave danger caught in rip currents.
The swimmer grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy at the beach and he headed for the couple.
At the same time, “the rescue craft Ray Farnham Rescuer arrived on the scene and reached the couple rescuing both of them out of the water onto our sea rescue craft”, said Kruger.
The couple were both brought safely onto the beach and were medically assessed by NSRI medics.
“A doctor, who happened to be on the beach at the time, assisted our NSRI medics.
“Both casualties were in satisfactory conditions and grateful for being rescued. They were accompanied back to the car park and they required no further assistance,” Kruger said.
The eye-witnesses who raised the alarm and the swift response that contributed to saving the couples lives is commended.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
