The NSRI is sharing praise for one of its rescue swimmers who helped in rescuing two women in Hawaii, who were stuck in a sinking car.
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (04 May 2023) – Hout Bay-based NSRI Rescue Swimmer Martin Wesemann has become an American hero while on holiday in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He and a fellow South African dived into the Honokohau Marina and Small Boat Harbour after two women accidently drove their car into a coat slip-way and started sinking.
Hout Bay Station 8 reached out to share the incredible story of how Martin and his friend Sean Hutchinson dived into the water, to get the women free from the fast-sinking car.
The rescue took place on the 29th of April 2023 shortly after Martin, Sean and friends arrived back to the harbour after a cruise on Sean’s boat.
“We were on the boat next to the slip-way when we noticed the vehicle, with a female driver and a female passenger, drive past us down the slipway without pausing and the vehicle entered the water before floating further into the harbour and beginning to sink.
Both ladies were preparing to escape through the vehicle’s front windows and naturally Sean, and our fellow sailor Tony, and myself jumped into the water to assist them.
We were able to help them to escape the sinking vehicle, through the front driver and front passenger windows, getting them both safely to shore without incident.”
Local rescue services arrived shortly after the women were caried from the car. Martin had gotten a rope as was able to attach it to the fast-sinking vehicle before it went underwater. Which would later help with the car’s removal.
Martin shared that they suspected the navigation system in the car, took them down the incorrect route.
“We were in the right place at the right time to help them” – Martin Wesemann
An “INSIDE EDITION” video captured the heroic moment. It is in this video you can see just how fast the car was sinking and how the South African’s played a pivitol role in the rescue of the ladies and the car.
“In that video … I am wearing the grey shirt, Tony is wearing the red shirt and Sean is in the black shirt” said Martin.
Watch the rescue below:
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