Be cautious near water warns NSRI
Motorists and pedestrians should not to try to cross rivers, swollen or flooded by storms, including low-lying vehicle bridges submerged underwater.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is appealing to bathers, boaters, paddlers, sailors, anglers and coastal hikers to be cautious around the coastline, inland waterways and coastal hiking trails.
NSRI is also urging the public to adopt a safety-conscious approach to swimming, boating, paddling and sailing.
The institute appeals to motorists and pedestrians not to try to cross rivers, swollen or flooded by storms, including low-lying vehicle bridges submerged underwater.
“Along the coastline only swim at beaches protected by lifeguards. Inland water users are also urged to be cautious – an increase in emergencies is of concern and we are appealing to everyone to have safety top of mind. This festive season, on evaluation, appears to indicate that fatal drowning incidents around the coastline may have mostly occurred at beaches not protected by lifeguards. We are also appealing to bathers not to drink alcohol and then go swimming. Around the coastline rip currents appear to remain the greatest cause of bathers getting into difficulty in the surf,” said the institute.
It added that the NSRI pink rescue buoys, stationed around South Africa on coastal, and inland waters, at some rivers and dams, are proving, beyond any doubt, their value to aid bathers who get into difficulty.
The institute said to date NSRI pink rescue buoys are now responsible for contributing to 177 lives saved (that they know of), since the inception of the programme in late 2017, all in-water rescues have been successful and no harm has come to any of the rescuers who have used an NSRI pink rescue buoy to help someone in distress and danger of drowning.
NSRI is appealing to boaters, sailors and paddlers to use the free NSRI SafeTrx smartphone application that can be downloaded from the NSRI web page.
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