Lifeguard saves boy from drowning in Zinkwazi

In the early hours of Thursday morning, a lifeguard from Sugar Bay Adventure Camp in Zinkwazi saved an 18-year-old boy who was caught in a rip current and was out at sea for an hour and a half.

Daniel Junior Tlholoe was on the beach at 3am with a group of friends from Sugar Bay Adventure Camp, when he decided to go for a swim.

IPSS Medical Rescue’s Paul Herbst received an emergency call at 3.30am, when Tlholoe was swept past backline in a rip current.

“Alpha Security notified us of the incident and when we arrived, an off-duty lifeguard had paddled out to rescue him,” said Herbst.

Tlholoe was swept roughly 1oo metres offshore.

When the friends called for help back at Sugar Bay, 20-year-old Zinkwazi lifeguard Luke McCracken ran down to the beach.

“When I arrived I had no board with me to paddle out to Daniel, so I found a Malibu paddle board next to the lifeguard tower and I went in after him. It was pitch dark and it felt like I was searching for him for a long time,” said McCracken.

“While I was paddling, I noticed that the Malibu was starting to sink, so I started screaming Daniel’s name and yelling for help until I eventually found him floating on his back.”

By then Thloloe was tired and cramping in his muscles which made paddling back to shore even more challenging.

“When we were both on the Malibu it started to sink even more, which was probably the worst situation we could have been in, especially since we were in the surf, but we eventually made it and got out of the water on the rocks,” said McCracken.

Tlholoe was out at sea from 3am to 4.30am and the sun was rising when the two boys finally reached the shore.

Herbst said that Tlholoe’s life was saved by the fact that he remained calm and floated on his back instead of fighting the current.

“Once he was back on the beach, we assessed him for injuries and found him to be alright to go home,” said Herbst.

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