Every member of the public is urged to be part of the anti-drowning solution.

This was shared by Andrew Ingram, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson, in light of a recent drowning at Sodwana Bay – a tragedy which may have been prevented had the Sea Rescue pink rescue buoy not been removed from its post.

ALSO READ: Search continues for missing man at Sodwana Bay

The drowning was that of a young man (20), and occurred last Tuesday. According to a helpless bystander, who posted on the Friends of Sodwana Facebook page, the pole that holds the pink rescue buoy was right next to their belongings, but the buoy was not there.

“We ran up and down the beach trying to find rope or debris that could provide any form of flotation, to no avail,” said the poster.

“We have grown up with the ocean and understand how dangerous both a rip and a non-swimmer in panic can be.

“With adrenaline pumping and self-belief, we both wanted to swim to the victim to assist, but it would have resulted in a multiple loss of life.”

One person who commented on the post recalled having seen a young boy playing with the pink buoy and, when advised to place it back on the pole, did not do so, but carried on playing with it in the shallow water.

Since its inception in 2017, the NSRI’s Pink Rescue Buoy Programme has saved 241 lives of which the organisation is aware.

The NSRI calls on everyone to protect these buoys, and use them only for their intended purpose – helping a person in difficulty while waiting for emergency services.

“The Pink Rescue Buoy is effective because it enables ordinary people to make a difference. Time is critical in any drowning situation, and the priority is for a rescuer who is going to help someone in the water to take flotation with them; for their own safety as well as to help the person in danger of drowning,” said Ingram.

About the pink rescue buoy

Each pink rescue buoy is:

• Bright pink for maximum visibility in all water conditions
• Installed on a pole with emergency numbers and location signage
• Designed to float and provide assistance to someone in danger of drowning – either by being thrown to the person or to be taken with by someone going into the water to help – so both the person in difficulty and the rescuer will have something to help them float

Each pink buoy installation costs R2 000, funded by donations or sponsorship from members of the public or businesses.

Over 2 050 have been placed around the country. When a buoy is missing, lives are at risk.

“A stolen buoy is a stolen life,” said Ingram. “Without communities standing behind the project, teaching people not to remove these buoys except in emergencies, we won’t be able to save lives.”

Don’t have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here:

HAVE YOUR SAY