Heroics amid double drowning tragedy
Lourens of Trafalgar, who was surfing nearby, saw a child being swept out to sea, and used his surfboard to rescue the young boy.
Two women drowned at Trafalgar Beach last Sunday. One was eight months pregnant.
Locals, Lourens van Niekerk (13), Anne-lize Vermeulen (34), Dean Pretorius (50) and his son Josh (19) sprang into action when the women and two children got into difficulty while swimming.
Police spokesman Sergeant Sibu Ncane said it is alleged that a group of about 12 people were swimming when two women encountered difficulties at about 5.30pm.
Dean and Josh of Port Edward were fishing when they noticed the bathers in trouble. “It was low tide but there was a strong rip pushing out,” said Dean.
Lourens of Trafalgar, who was surfing nearby, saw a child being swept out to sea, and used his surfboard to rescue the young boy.
He is still learning to surf, and explained that he knew he had just enough time to paddle to the child before it was too late.
“The child was very scared and he grabbed onto the top of my board and held on for dear life. I told him to kick and together we got to shore,” said Lourens.
Meanwhile, Josh swam out and rescued the older child as she was going under water.
“The girl was screaming in panic, but I managed to grab her around the shoulders and swim onto the bank,” said Josh.
Dean on the other hand, had managed to get to one of the women and pulled her ashore.
After bystanders pointed out a second woman was in trouble, the father and son team then went back into the surf to rescue her as she was floating in the surfline.
In the interim, Anne-lize of Trafalgar was walking on the beach when the incident unfolded.
Having volunteered for Shelly Beach NSRI she instantly knew what cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) methods to administer in order to try save the women’s lives.
She and Dean worked together performing CPR on both the women.
By that stage NSRI Port Edward and Med-Evac paramedics arrived and they took over CPR.
NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said that sadly despite extensive CPR efforts on both the women, they were both declared dead.
Sgt Ncane confirmed that the two women who drowned were aged 26 and 30. The younger woman was eight months pregnant.
The tragic incident has taken an emotional toll on the four rescuers, and a teary-eyed Anne-lize said she hasn’t slept since Sunday.
The scene was also attended by NSRI Port Edward, Margate Saps and Port Shepstone K9 Search and Rescue.
Margate Saps has opened an inquest docket.
Sgt Ncane said the public is warned not to swim in areas not demarcated for swimming.
They are advised to swim where lifeguards are present.
NRSI urgently appeals to the public to adopt a safety conscious mindset around water, particularly now that beaches are re-opened to the public.
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