A Father, Son and Crafts Vendor Rescue Swimmer from Rip Currents at Jabula Beach
When a man was caught in rip currents at Jabula Beach, a father and son visiting from Pretoria swam out to save him, while a nearby crafts vendor dropped everything... The post A Father, Son and Crafts Vendor Rescue Swimmer from Rip Currents at Jabula Beach appeared first on Good Things Guy.
Black News 
When a man was caught in rip currents at Jabula Beach, a father and son visiting from Pretoria swam out to save him, while a nearby crafts vendor dropped everything to assist.
St Lucia, South Africa (27 May 2026) – On Saturday, midday, 23 May, the NSRI St Lucia duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Jabula Beach. Rescue swimmers and shore crew were immediately dispatched to the scene.
While en route, the NSRI broadcast an urgent appeal on VHF marine radio channel 68, requesting assistance from any vessels in the vicinity, as the male casualty had drifted toward the backline breakers.
However, a shore-based crew member for one of the vessels happened to be on Jabula Beach monitoring the radio channel. She was able to quickly radio back with incredible news that the man was already safely ashore.
He had just been rescued by three vigilant Good Samaritans, and the group was currently recovering in the beach parking area.
“The NSRI crew continued to respond to the scene, where NSRI medics assessed the male casualty from Swaziland. Although exhausted and in some shock, he required no medical treatment,” reported Melinda Snyman, NSRI St Lucia station commander.
The rescue was the result of a heroic, spontaneous team effort by three strangers who were identified as a father and his 15-year-old son, who are from Pretoria on a holiday in St Lucia, and a local man, who is a crafts vendor and also a well-known local experienced spear-fisher.
“It appears that while swimming, the casualty man was swept out to sea, caught in rip currents, and the alarm was raised. The Pretoria father and son, both wearing diving fins, swam towards the man who was in distress while the crafts vendor, who had noticed the commotion, also swam out towards them to assist,” explains Snyman.
Upon reaching the exhausted swimmer, the three rescuers worked together to keep his head above water while battling the breaking wave sets to guide him back toward the shoreline. Once they reached shallower water, they were able to stand and safely help him out of the surf.
The NSRI highly commends these three Good Samaritans for their swift, coordinated efforts that undoubtedly saved the man’s life.
Sources: NSRI
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