Tragic Christmas Day Incident: NSRI Lifeguards Respond to Beach Rescue Effort

While NSRI lifeguards were preparing at Kleinbrak Beach (Littlebrak Beach) for their duty day, NSRI lifeguard squad leader Zander Calitz noticed a man running towards the lifeguard tower from further down the beach - about 450 meters from the lifeguard tower.

At that stage we had lifeguards in the water testing for rip currents and checking where sandbanks had formed in the surf line. And lifeguards were establishing the safer swimming areas.

Realising something was going on ...

The 2 lifeguards, who were in the water in front of the lifeguard tower, came out of the water and started to go down the beach towards the man to see what was wrong when we then noticed, a bit further down the beach, some people carrying a man out of the surf onto the beach, said Zander.

We dispatched our NSRI lifeguards, geared with an AED, oxygen and medical equipment, and raised the alarm.

NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew and the NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) were alerted.

WC Government Health EMS, Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue services, ER24 ambulance services and the SA Police Services were activated.

On lifeguards arriving on the scene it was found that the 66 year old local male had been in difficulty in the water and he had been rescued from the water by his friend, also a local, who described to NSRI how she had managed to swim the man to the beach even though he was lifeless in the water.

NSRI lifeguards determined that the man had no pulse or breathing.

NSRI lifeguards, assisted by bystanders, initiated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts and they were joined on the scene by paramedics.

After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted sadly he was declared deceased by paramedics

The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man.

It appears that man and his friend had been swimming together when they may have been caught in rip currents.

The friend has recounted to NSRI how they found themselves in a wave set - while still in the water the man showed no signs of life and she was able to get the man to shore where they were assisted out of the water by bystanders before lifeguards arrived and started CPR.