Teen braves rip current to save drowning father
The 15-year-old's father got into trouble while saving another teenager from a rip current in Nature's Valley. All three managed to get out of the water safely.
NSRI Plettenberg Bay volunteers launch one of their rescue craft to assist a Kimberley family in difficulty in Nature’s Valley. Photo: NSRI
A 15-year-old Kimberley boy braved rip currents in Nature’s Valley outside Plettenberg Bay on Monday to help his father.
According to NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander Ross Badenhorst, a Kimberly family was visiting the coastal hamlet on 10 February when one of the family members, a 13-year-old boy, found himself in difficulty in a rip current, reports Knysna-Plett Herald.
“The father then also got into difficulty, before the young teenager managed to get out of the water unassisted. His 15-year-old son then entered the water to help his dad,” Badenhorst said.
Badenhorst added that all of them managed to get out of the water safely before NSRI volunteers arrived on the scene.
He said that they received a report just after 10am of three people in difficulty in the water off Beach 3 in Nature’s Valley.
“We launched our sea rescue craft Rescue Free Runner and Rescue Airlink. While the sea rescue craft were responding, it was confirmed that all three casualties were out of the water, but that an adult male was suffering from exhaustion and required medical attention.”
Upon arrival, NSRI medics attended to the man and stabilised him before being attended to by Western Cape government health EMS paramedics.
“Following treatment, he required further assistance.”
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