Off-Duty Lifeguards and a Pink Buoy Save 3 Lives at Uvongo Beach

Hermanus World Drowning Prevention Day Good Samaritan Pink Rescue Buoy - NSRI

Photo Credit: National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI)

Yesterday evening, just moments after clocking off for the day, Uvongo Beach lifeguards proved that their dedication to safety never truly rests, saving three young lives swept out by a rip current.

Uvongo, South Africa (07 January 2026) – Just moments after finishing their shift yesterday evening, a group of dedicated lifeguards was called back into action.

A drowning in progress involving two 20-year-old women who had been swept out by a rip current, and a bystander who had bravely attempted to save them, had been reported at Uvongo Main Beach.

The alarm was raised by Nkazimulo Nyawose of the NSRI South Coast drowning prevention team. As the NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew prepared their response, the lifeguards rushed back to the beach. Acting with precision and bravery, they grabbed an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, a vital lifesaving tool stationed at the beach, and headed into the surf to reach the three casualties.

A Race Against the Current

Working together, the lifeguards guided the male casualty and one of the women through the rocks to safety; fortunately, both were uninjured.

“Another lifeguard, utilising the NSRI pink rescue buoy, rescued a 20-year-old female to the beach,” said Glen Preston, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander.

A Community Effort

Private ambulance services arrived shortly after to provide medical care. The young woman, treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms, was transported to the hospital in stable condition, and Preston confirmed that she is expected to make a full recovery.

We join the NSRI in commending the swift, selfless actions of Nkazimulo Nyawose and the Uvongo lifeguards, whose expertise, combined with the presence of the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, turned a potential tragedy into a story of survival.