NSRI Commends Jeffreys Bay Teenagers for Helping Rescue Swimmer in Rip Currents

Four local teenagers from Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, have been commended by the NSRI for their combined efforts in helping to save the life of another teenager who had been swept out to sea by rip currents.

The NSRI named the four heroines as: Abbygail Janse van Rensburg, twins Karla and Lisa Stumpf, and Megan Johnson.

Their good deed took place on Saturday afternoon at around 16h00 when a brother and sister from Hankey were swept away. While the brother managed to get to shore safely, his sister got caught in the strong rip currents, said the NSRI.

Lisa (19) and Megan (14) were on the beach at the time, and were approached “by a lady frantically asking them for help – the lady was indicating that her son and her daughter were being swept out to sea and they were in danger in the surfline”.

Lisa and Megan immediately alerted Lisa’s twin Karla (19) and their 14-year-old friend Abbygail (whose father Rieghard happens to be a founding member and former station commander of NSRI Jeffreys Bay).

“Between them the girls raised the alarm alerting NSRI and the emergency services,” said the NSRI.

At that stage the boy had reached the shore without assistance and was safe but his 17-year-old sister was caught in the rip currents and continued to be swept further out to sea.

“The four local girls knew that they needed to act fast, and time was of the essence, so Lisa handed Abbygail a body-board to be used for floatation instead of running the hundred meters down the beach to fetch the NSRI pink rescue buoy that is stationed on that beach.

“Karla put on a pair of flippers and together Abbygail and Karla swam 100 meters out to sea through the surf and they reached the casualty girl who was still caught up in the rip currents.

“Using the body-board for floatation together Abbygail and Karla assisted the casualty girl to float and then they guided her through the breaking surf safely to the beach,” said NSRI.

At that stage NSRI Jeffreys Bay crew and paramedics were arriving at the beach and the girl was medically assessed by paramedics.

Following some medical treatment in an ambulance she was released, fortunately requiring no further assistance.

“NSRI commend the 4 local girls, Abbygail Janse van Rensburg, Karla and Lisa Stumpf and Megan Johnson for their combined efforts that contributed to saving the life of the teenager,” said the NSRI.