Cape Town - 1501108 - Denver Ficks (left) and Adam Smith (right) watch over bathers at the Strandfontein tidal pool. A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Picture: David Ritchie/African News Agency(ANA)
Those involved in a mass rescue operation at Bonza Bay Beach, East London, have been commended for their efforts to save eight people, including children, from dangerous rip currents.
Buffalo City municipal spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya lauded the search and rescue teams that managed to avert what could have been a disastrous situation on Friday.
“This has got to be one of the biggest rescues in a single moment in our region and it would not have happened if it wasn't for the swift action of the lifeguards, the NSRI team, paramedics, the police and all the role players,” Ngwenya.
“We wish those affected a speedy recovery. We need to amplify the messaging around how rip currents work and the dangers associated. We also need to emphasize to parents not to let their children swim unsupervised.”
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) East London station commander, Cathrine Prentis, said the duty crew was activated following reports from Buffalo City Municipal (BCM) lifeguards who were engaged in a mass rescue operation at about 6.05pm.
Prentis said the NSRI rescue craft, Spirit of DHL, was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers responded in the NSRI rescue vehicle and joined BCM lifeguards.
The Water Policing and Diving Services division of the SAPS, Alderson Ambulance Services, and the Eastern Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services were also on the scene.
“Two BCM lifeguards, using a Malibu rescue board and a torpedo rescue buoy, had successfully rescued eight people, males and females, children and adults, from the water,” said Prentis.
According to Prentis, extensive CPR efforts were conducted by paramedics and lifeguards on a child believed to be six years old.
“An off-duty EMS paramedic, who happened to be in the area, and one of the lifeguards initiated resuscitation efforts on the child that the lifeguards had rescued from the surf zone. While resuscitation efforts were under way on the child, the second lifeguard continued to rescue persons from the water in relays of at least two at a time, with the assistance of the Malibu rescue board,” she said.
The six-year-old was transported to hospital in a critical condition, with resuscitation efforts continuing while another patient was also transported to hospital in a stable condition for further care.
“The remaining six survivors were evaluated by paramedics and lifeguards and are reported to be stable and in care,” said Prentis.
While all the casualties were reportedly accounted for, Prentis said as a precaution, NSRI rescue swimmers entered the water to free dive search and conduct wading sweeping line search efforts in the surf line, together with the rescue craft that searched within the surf zone, the backline, and beyond.
“All thoughts are with those affected. All services remain on high alert. The BCM lifeguards are commended for their efforts.”
Ngwenya said Bonza Bay is prone to rip currents.
“A rip is a strong, narrow current that moves directly away from the shore with immense force. The waves move towards the beach and need a place to drain back, creating a hole that drains back out to sea. The children stepped into that hole and it drains backwards quite fast, especially during high tide. All of the water that washes towards the beach has to wash out. Bonza Bay and Eastern Beach are known to have stronger surf and rips than Nahoon and Gonubie beach.”
Cape Times
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