GEORGE NEWS - Emergency services were kept on their toes during the 2018/2019 holiday season in and around George, with three drownings and a couple of near drownings along our coastline.
On 16 December tragedy struck shortly before 18:00 when a 6-year-old boy from Thembalethu drowned in the Wilderness lagoon. The boy and his sister were swimming in the lagoon when he got into difficulty. After all efforts of resuscitation by emergency services were exhausted the child was declared deceased.
Earlier that same day a woman (22) from Oudtshoorn was rescued from the water by lifeguards in Victoria Bay.
Near drowning in Wilderness
Lifeguards rescued a man (87) from the water at Steps, close to the local NSRI station, on Sunday morning, 23 December. NSRI dispatched a sea rescue vehicle and a medic to the scene.
"The casualty was treated by our NSRI medic and then transported to hospital by an ER24 ambulance in a stable condition. He is expected to make a full recovery," said Mike Vonk, NSRI Wilderness deputy station commander, shortly after the incident.
Sad Christmas Day for some
A man from the Netherlands drowned in Wilderness on Christmas Day. According to Vonk, NSRI Station 23 Wilderness responded to Wilderness beach after three people were reported to be caught in rip currents.
"On arrival we joined a search that was started by lifeguards. They found the man unconscious in the water, after which he was brought onto the beach where extensive CPR efforts commenced. After all efforts were exhausted, the man was declared deceased," said Vonk.
The two other people caught in rip currents were rescued unharmed.
Later that afternoon the Wilderness NSRI team were called by local lifeguards who needed assistance with four casualties caught in a rip current. A rescue craft was launched immediately. When the NSRI arrived on the scene the lifeguards had rescued everyone from the surf and no further assistance was required.
Shortly afterwards the NSRI team was called out to Wilderness lagoon where a boy had been rescued from the water by lifeguards.
On arrival they found a 5-year-old boy from George who appeared to be losing consciousness. The boy was stabilised and transported to hospital by ER24 paramedics. "He is expected to fully recover," Vonk said shortly after the incident.
A fisherman sustained serious injuries to his leg when he fell from the rocks at Victoria Bay and had to be carried out on a stretcher. Photo: Richard Botha
Mossel Bay
An 8-year-old girl lost her life at Great Brak River on Christmas morning after she went missing near the river mouth. Lifeguards searched for her and commenced CPR as soon as she was found.
Paramedics who arrived on the scene continued with CPR before loading the patient into an ambulance. "They continued with CPR on the way to the hospital in the ambulance and at the hospital before doctors declared the child deceased," said Vonk.
The fisherman being carried to safety. Photo: Richard Botha
Fisherman rescued after fall
A fisher-man from George sustained serious injuries to his knee when he fell from the rocks in Victoria Bay on 27 December. However, thanks to the swift action of emergency services, he was brought to safety quickly. Members of EMS Garden Route and the Outeniqau Trailrunners group rescued the man and carried him to the ambulance on a stretcher, after which he was taken to hospital.
Boy saved in Victoria Bay
Shortly before the end of 2018 local lifeguards rescued a boy (7) from the water in Victoria Bay. "On Saturday afternoon, 29 December, lifeguards at Victoria Bay reported a child drowning in progress," said Vonk. Members of the Wilderness NSRI responded and found the boy, who had been unconscious in the water, safe and awake after being rescued by the lifeguards on duty. "The lifeguards at Victoria Bay are commended for their vigilance and swift response which helped to save the boy's life," he said.
*A father of three also drowned in Swartvlei over the holiday. Read more about this in this weeks' George Herald.
A humpback whale washed out at Leentjiesklip in Wilderness on Friday 28 December. The whale could not be saved and on Saturday morning it was decided to apply euthanasia to the animal. Photo: Eugene Gunning
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