Child saved‚ good Samaritan dies in sea rescue drama

A heroic effort to save the life of a child who was swept out to sea ended tragically for a 60-year-old Good Samaritan in Cape Town.

Eye-witness Jan de Kock‚ from Tamboerskloof‚ was walking between Camps Bay Beach and Glen Beach on Thursday when he came across a man trying to rescue his daughter‚ who had been swept out to sea at Glen Beach.

The missing girl’s father and a 60-year-old bystander had jumped into the surf to help her.

“The father managed to get his little girl to rocks ... and Jan assisted‚ with other members of the public and local surfers‚ to pull the girl onto the rocks and then the group of bystanders were able to pull the girl’s dad onto the rocks. The girl’s father was suffering from exhaustion but he was okay‚” said a statement by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).

“The 60-year-old male was still in the water ... he was found by surfers and bystanders only minutes later but floating face down in the water.”

He was moved onto the beach by bystanders and surfers‚ who initiated CPR.

“Jan called the police to raise the alarm and lifeguards and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services arrived first followed by paramedics (Community Medics and ER24 ambulance services) and the SA Police Services.

“NSRI commend all who helped in this tragic drowning incident for their swift actions in trying to save this man’s life and for helping the unidentified dad and his daughter.”

The whole incident lasted less than five minutes.