Good Samaritan Saves 74-Year-Old in Buffalo Bay Non-Fatal Drowning

Jerome Simonis, NSRI Knysna station commander, said: At 12h18, Friday, 5 December, NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Buffalo Bay Main Beach.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and our NSRI duty crew responded to our NSRI Knysna station 12 rescue base where we launched the NSRI rescue craft JayTee IV.

ER24 ambulance services, a WC Government Health EMS paramedic and Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) responded.

While responding to the scene it was confirmed that a young male (unidentified), a Good Samaritan, had rescued a 74 year old man, on holiday from Durban, from the surf zone, after the man had reportedly been dumped by waves and was noticed adrift in the surf zone unresponsive in the water.

On reaching the beach the Good Samaritan young man initiated CPR  (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts together with a local restaurant manager and they were joined by a doctor, who happened to be at the beach at the time.

Oxygen was used in the resuscitation efforts (that had been obtained from the NSRI shark box stationed at Buffalo Bay).

Extensive CPR efforts were applied.

On NSRI, paramedics and Police arriving on the scene the CPR efforts had been successful, and a pulse and spontaneous breathing had been restored.

Paramedics continued with medical treatment and the man was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a stable but serious condition.

Thoughts and care are with the man and his family at this time.

The Good Samaritan young man, the restaurant owner, the doctor and bystanders are commended for their swift actions in rescuing the man, raising the alarm and the extensive successful CPR efforts.