At 11h35 on Friday the 07th of November, NSRI Port Edward sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Silver Beach, Port Edward.Our NSRI Port Edward duty crew responded and on arrival on-scene found a 13 year old girl (reportedly on a school outing), from Seaview in the Transkei, had been rescued from the water by a bystander. He and another member of the public were conducting Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts on the young girl.Our NSRI medics took over the CPR efforts and were joined on the scene by Netcare 911 paramedics who continued with advanced life support CPR and spontaneous breathing was restored.CPR efforts were successful on the scene and the teenager has been transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance in a serious condition where doctors are continuing treatment and observation for secondary drowning symptoms.At least 100 children on a school outing from a Mdatya School (unknown to NSRI if it is the Mdatya Junior Primary School or Mdatya Senior Secondary School) were at the beach at the time on an apparent school outing when the 13 year old learner reportedly got into difficulty in the surf while swimming.It appears that the girl had been swept out to sea by rip currents. Eye-witnesses on the beach, Leandra Janse van Rensburg and her boyfriend Dirk de Bruin, from Vereeniging, Vaal Triangle, and on holiday in Port Edward, noticed a man appearing to be panicking in the water and on their investigation he indicated to them that a young girl was in difficulty in the surf.Dirk de Bruin swam out about 20 meters and rescued the teenager from in the surf line bringing her to the beach where his girlfriend, Leandra Janse van Rensburg, a Radiographer who has taken CPR and First Aid training, initiated CPR. The learner was soon coughing up and vomiting water.NSRI medics took over the CPR efforts on our arrival and were soon joined by the Netcare 911 paramedics.Leandra Janse van Rensburg and Dirk de Bruin, of Vereeniging, are commended for their quick actions which have no doubt saved the teenagers life.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY
DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONESMS 32287 with your name and a message of support for our rescue crew. (SMS charged at R1)
