GEORGE NEWS - A local lifeguard, Tristin de Swardt (20), was the hero of the day when he saved a 16-year-old swimmer from the sea in Herold's Bay on Tuesday 25 August.
According to NSRI Wilderness station commander, Garth Dominy, their crew was activated at approximately 15:50 following reports of the teenager being swept out to sea.
"On arrival the NSRI rescue swimmers found De Swardt assisting a local teenager (16) out of the water. Our sea rescue craft arrived on scene as the teenager was brought to the beach. A doctor, who happened to be at the beach at the time, also assisted," said Dominy.
De Swardt said that he was at the beach when he noticed a group of teenagers preparing to jump off the rocks into the sea on the eastern side of Herold's Bay.
The first teenager who jumped into the water was immediately caught in a rip current and swept out to sea. Dominy said bystanders raised the alarm.
De Swardt, who had his rescue flippers in his car, rushed to the boy's aid. He eventually managed to reach the panicked teenager, calmed him down and took him back to shore using a pink NSRI rescue buoy.
The teenager was treated by Eden-911 paramedics on scene and taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
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