THE NATIONAL Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Shelly Beach base honoured a skipper who helped rescue nine scuba divers last year.
For the heroism he displayed, Chris Korsten received a special award at a function held at the NSRI’s Shelly Beach station last Thursday.
On November 11, 2012, Chris, a professional ski-boat skipper and his crewman Barney Lots, heard that nine scuba divers were lost at sea. He immediately launched his charter boat Tyde 11 to help with the search.
The group of divers had drifted for about 18 nautical miles before they were located. The skipper calculated where the divers would be by tying a makeshift dam buoy to an anchor and placing it in the water. He followed it for 10 minutes and then worked out the distance and degree at which the divers were drifting. He found them off Southbroom.
Speaking at the presentation function, the NSRI’s regional director, Eddie Noyons said, “Your immediate response and your navigation skills helped save nine lives.”
When given an opportunity to speak, the humble Chris said he did not have much to say but he wanted thank his crewman Barney who had assisted him with the search. “I couldn’t have done it with out Barney’s help,” he said.
