NSRI Lamberts Bay and Strandfontein rescue bystander and lifeguards caught in strong currents off Strandfontein

NSRI Lamberts Bay and NSRI Strandfontein responded together on Saturday, 1 August 2026, after a 13-year-old swimmer got into difficulty off Strandfontein, West Coast. An adult bystander and three NSRI lifeguards who swam out to assist were themselves caught in strong sea currents and were brought safely ashore by the NSRI Lamberts Bay rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas. The teenager had already reached the shore unassisted. All involved were uninjured and are commended for their effort

On Saturday afternoon, 1 August 2026, while the NSRI Lamberts Bay rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas was at sea, engaged in routine training exercises in the vicinity of Doring Bay, West Coast, NSRI Lamberts Bay received a call from NSRI Strandfontein duty controllers reporting a swimmer in distress offshore of Strandfontein, West Coast.

Our rescue craft diverted to assist.

An adult bystander with a surfboard, believed to be acquainted with the 13-year-old casualty, had been observed paddling out to try to assist the teenager.

Two NSRI Strandfontein trainee lifeguards and an NSRI Strandfontein lifeguard instructor, who were conducting lifeguard training nearby, swam out to assist. Together with the man and his surfboard, they were caught in strong sea currents before reaching the teenager.

At that stage, the teenager had managed to reach the shoreline and got out of the water unassisted.

The man, the two trainee lifeguards and the lifeguard instructor, still caught in strong sea currents, stayed afloat together using their torpedo rescue buoys and the surfboard for flotation.

Our rescue craft reached them, and NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the water. In relays, close to the rocky shoreline, all were brought onboard the rescue craft and taken safely to shore, where the man was reunited with the teenager. Neither required further medical assistance.

All involved are commended for their efforts.