Two Men Saved from Rip Currents by NSRI and Good Samaritan at St Lucia

Melinda Snyman, NSRI St Lucia station commander, said: On Tuesday, 18 November, at 15h33, NSRI St Lucia duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Main Beach, St Lucia.

Our NSRI crew responded to our NSRI St Lucia station rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft JetRIB was towed to Main Beach.
 
On arrival on the scene we found one man had been rescued from the surf zone by a male Good Samaritan believed to be a work colleague of the man in distress.
 
A second man was seen to be at the back breakers and in distress.
 
Our NSRI JetRIB was launched and reached the casualty rescuing him onto the NSRI rescue craft and he was brought safely to shore. He was not injured.
 
The first casualty, on the beach, was found to be in a serious condition suffering non-fatal drowning symptoms.
 
With no ambulances immediately available our NSRI medics transported the 2 men to our NSRI rescue base continuing with medical treatment on the seriously injured patient who was transported to hospital by colleagues where he is recovering in the care of doctors and nurses.
 
The 2 men had reportedly been swimming when they were caught in rip currents during the Spring tide.
 
The efforts of the colleague, a Good Samaritan man, that rescued the injured man from the water, and the swift response of NSRI, rescuing the second man from the surf, is commended.