Pink Buoys Pier Student Bakoven Pink Buoy
Photo Credit: NSRI

Two good samaritans were able to save a young boy’s life thanks to the placement of a Pink Buoy at Rocky Bay; this initiative has now saved 72 lives!

 

Rocky Bay, South Africa (29 April 2021) – The award-winning NSRI Pink Buoys are starting to feature in the tales of rescues and lifesaving moments more often. They have been placed on beaches along the South African coastline and are an aid to save lives.

Today we bring you yet another story about a NSRI pink buoy contributing to saving the life of a swimmer in distress. According to a report by the NSRI, a 12-Year-old boy was swept out to sea at Rocky Bay. NSRI Rocky Bay received reports at 12:15 pm.

‘NSRI Rocky Bay station commander, Kevin Fourie, was at Rocky Bay Beach at the time and he scanned the ocean front but could see no apparent distress amongst any of the bathers. Kevin alerted the Umdoni Municipal lifeguards, who were on duty at Main Beach, and they also scanned the oceanfront but could see no one in any distress.

Reports were then received from the Rocky Bay caravan park that the incident was in fact happening in front of the caravan park at that beach which is not protected by lifeguards. Kevin, the Rocky Bay Umdoni Municipal lifeguards and the Scottburgh Umdoni Municipal lifeguards, who used their rescue rigid hull inflatable boat, responded speedily to that beach.

On arrival on the scene it was found that 2 Good Samaritans, locals Richard Gibson and Nick Bell, and NSRI Durban station commander Jonathan Kellerman, had together, with an NSRI pink rescue buoy and a bodyboard, contributed to saving the life of a local male child, about 12 years old, who had been swept out to sea by rip currents while swimming.

The child was medically assessed and he was not injured and he was released into the care of his family.’

Good Samaritan Richard said he raced into the ocean as soon as he heard the child had been swept off. He had shouted for his son to alert their friend Nick. While swimming out to the child, who was about 100 meters out at see, he realised he should have grabbed the NSRI Pink Buoy.

Thankfully, Jonathan was close behind and grabbed the NSRI Pink Buoy that was posted in front of the Caravan Park beach. Running right behind him, came Richard’s friend Nick who had grabbed a bodyboard to be used as a floatation device.

‘Together they used the NSRI pink rescue buoy and the bodyboard to aid in their floatation and in a combined effort they brought the child safely to the beach.

NSRI commend the 2 Good Samaritans, Richard Gibson and Nick Bell, and we commend our NSRI Durban station commander, Jonathan Kellerman, for their combined efforts that saved the life of the child.’

Here is what you need to know about the Pink Buoys:

  • NSRI pink rescue buoys are stationed around the country at beaches that are mostly unprotected by lifeguards.
  • NSRI advise anyone who sees a person in difficulty to throw the pink rescue buoy to the casualty and alert the sea rescue emergency numbers that are displayed on the pink rescue buoy boards.
  • These pink rescue buoys are exclusive to NSRI and we appeal to anyone finding a pink rescue buoy, that is not on its board on their pole on the beach, to alert NSRI at 0214344011 or return the pink rescue buoy to any Police station or surf shop.

To date, the NSRI pink rescue buoys have been responsible for 72 successful lives saved around the South African coastline (that they are aware of) since their commissioning in 2017. That is incredible news and it goes to show that the initiative is working.

If you would like to support the NSRI, you can find out how via their website here.


Sources: NSRI
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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