Warren Page, NSRI Wilderness duty controller, said:At 16h11, Friday, 21st February, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a man caught in rip currents at Herolds Bay.The sea rescue craft Clemengold Rescuer and Oscars Rescuer were towed to Herolds Bay and NSRI rescue swimmers, George Fire and Rescue Services and WC Government Health EMS responded.An NSRI rescue swimmer, who was the first NSRI crewman to arrive on the scene, and 2 George Municipal Lifesaving lifeguards, who live in Herolds Bay and reacted to the incident, found 2 good Samaritans, an unidentified surfer and an unidentified body boarder, had gone to the aid of a man who was caught in rip currents and swept out to sea.The good Samaritans had managed to secure the 59 year old German man in the surfline, using the surfboard and body board as floatation to aid the casualty, and the NSRI rescue swimmer and the 2 lifeguards launched into the surf armed with their personal rescue torpedo buoys.On reaching the casualty and the good Samaritans in the surfline the rescuers took over and they assisted the man to shore safely. The surfer and the body boarder also reached the shore safely.At that stage additional responding rescue resources were arriving on the scene and the man, on holiday from Germany with his wife and visiting friends from Austria who live near to Herolds Bay, was medically checked by EMS paramedics and he required no medical attention and he was reunited with his wife and friends on the beach.NSRI commend the 2 unidentified good Samaritans for their assistance that contributed to the successful rescue.NSRI commend the eye-witnesses who raised the alarm and provided in depth and accurate information to the responding rescue resources as the incident was unfolding which contributed to the successful rescue.
