The innovative Pink Buoys placed along South African beaches have saved over 70 lives since 2017; the most recent, a man in Rocky Bay, KZN.
Rocky Bay, South Africa (19 April 2021) – The award-winning NSRI Pink Buoys are starting to feature in the tales of rescues and lifesaving moments. They have been placed on beaches along the South African coastline and are an aid to save lives.
The NSRI Pink buoys are placed across beaches in South Africa as a way to help prevent drowning. The concept of the buoy is for the public to use the buoy while they wait for a lifeguard or the emergency services.
The NSRI released their pink buoys in 2017 after noticing a similarity in the various scenarios where drownings occurred.
‘In a typical scenario Sea Rescue gets an emergency call for a swimmer in difficulty and, when we get there, we find two or more people in danger of drowning.
Tragically, sometimes we are not able to get there in time and someone drowns. Usually the person who does not survive is the kind person who went into the water to try and help a person in difficulty.’
They then developed the buoy as an emergency system, with clear graphics and an emergency number so that members of the community can safely assist a person struggling in the ocean while waiting for the NSRI to arrive.
Over the weekend, two Good Samaritans armed with an NSRI pink rescue buoy contributed to a life being saved at Rocky Bay, KZN on Sunday
“At 13h20, Sunday, 18 April, NSRI Rocky Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress off-shore of Rocky Bay.
On arrival at Park Rynie Ski-boat Club, we found an adult male in difficulty at the backline and he appeared to be caught in strong rip currents.
The man, from Phoenix, had been picnicking at Park Rynie with his family when he went for a swim and he was caught in rip currents that swept him out to sea.
A local charter operator, Neeval Ramchunder, who was in the vicinity at the time, had noticed the man in difficulty and he had grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy, stationed at Park Rynie Ski Boat Club, and he launched into the water to go to the assistance of the casualty.
NSRI alerted commercial fisherman Rusten Naidoo, a local known to be a strong swimmer, and Rusten also launched into the water and swam out to assist.
Using the rescue buoy for floatation Neeval and Rusten rescued the casualty safely to the shore.
The casualty was medically assessed and although tired from the ordeal he was not injured and he was reunited with his family who expressed their thanks to the 2 Good Samaritans for their efforts.
We commend the courageous efforts of Neeval Ramchunder and Rusten Naidoo for their combined efforts that saved the life of the casualty.”
Since the installation of the Pink Buoys, over 70 people have been rescued using the life-saving device.
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