Quick-witted NSRI crew member lauded after saving man in water-filled waders

The National Sear Rescue Institute (NSRI) commended one of its Kommetjie crew members after he came to the rescue of a man whose water-filled waders led to his head being trapped underwater on Sunday.

Station commander Ian Klopper described it as “a particularly busy day at our slip-way… and some of our NSRI crew were in the vicinity of the slip-way preparing for our regular routine operational exercises”.

“At around 11am‚ a local man‚ who we believe to be aged in his 80s‚ and a man who we regularly see down at the Kommetjie slip-way‚ who often launches on boats with his family to go crayfishing‚ was standing in knee-deep water at the slip-way‚” he said.

“At one point‚ a boat trailer‚ being reversed down the slip-way‚ accidentally knocked over this gentleman - it appears that the man driving the vehicle and reversing the trailer into the water did not see the man standing in the water. The trailer collided with the man and knocking him over the man landed face down in the water.

“He was wearing waders that filled with water when he fell over and the weight of the water filled waders‚ and the slippery kelp and muddy water‚ caused the man's face to be trapped under water and he was unable to lift his head out of the water.”

Crew member Daniel Jegels‚ “out of the corner of his eye”‚ saw the incident unfold and “immediately leapt into action and ran over and lifted the man's head up so that he could take a breath of air and then Daniel gently lifted the man up onto his feet and helped him out of the water”‚ continued Klopper.

“The incident lasted for only a few seconds. but we are certain that if NSRI crew had not been in the vicinity at the time‚ and that if Daniel had not noticed the incident happening in that moment‚ and if Daniel had not reacted as quickly as he had‚ the man may certainly have drowned in only knee-deep water after the weight of his waders that had filled with water and the frailty of the elderly gentleman being unable to lift himself‚ and the slippery kelp and the muddy water‚ without a doubt‚ may have resulted in tragedy.”

Jegels was assisted by other NSRI members to escort the man safely to his family and the man required no further help.

“From eyewitness accounts of the incident Daniel is commended for saving the man's life today.”