Rieghard Janse Van Rensburg, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, said:At 16h00, Tuesday, 16th October, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of of a man in difficulty on a body board in the surf and a surfer had launched into the water with his surf board to assist the casualty at Magna Tubes.We responded to the scene where found a local surfer, Pablo Thuysman, had rescued a 30 year old man, from Vaal Park, from the surf.The 30 year old man was found to not be injured after we medically checked him and no further assistance was required.Pablo had been in the car park when he noticed the man in difficulty.Pablo first attempted to shout instructions to the man in an effort to assist him to swim free of a rip current that he was caught in. After attempts to shout instructions were not successful and, with the man continuing to be caught in a rip current, Pablo grabbed an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, stationed at the beach.While he was running towards the surf Pablo realised that the man was bigger than him and Pablo opted instead to rather use his surfboard which he grabbed and ran into the surf. Still wearing his socks, Pablo launched his surfboard into the water and reached the casualty in the surf. He was able to pull the man onto his surfboard and bring him safely back to shore.NSRI commend Pablo for the rescue.
TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE