THE FUSE

Another two lives have been saved from the grip of a rip current at sea. Justin earned his hero badge, and a pink life buoy proved its worth.

Brenton-on-Sea (10 February 2026) – Things can change at the drop of a hat in ocean waters. That’s why it’s so important to know what red flags to look out for when going for a swim. One of the most common is rip currents.

Just before 3 pm on Saturday, NSRI Knysna was alerted to reports of a drowning in progress at Die Blokke along Fisherman’s Walk. Rescue swimmers who were already nearby responded immediately, while the duty crew prepared to launch from the station.

By the time help was on the way, a local couple had already stepped in to help two elderly foreigners.

A 78-year-old man and his 74-year-old wife, visiting from Switzerland, had been swimming in the water when they were unexpectedly caught in rip currents. The man managed to reach the rocks and clung on while his wife struggled nearby.

Hearing the commotion, Justin Lucas, 36, and his partner Kathryn Talken, 39, went to see what was happening. Justin acted right away and entered the surf, making his way to the man. At the same time, Kathryn grabbed an NSRI pink rescue buoy and handed it to the woman as she reached the shoreline.

The woman then launched off again into the water, this time with the buoy, attempting to reach her husband.

In this time, Justin managed to guide the man safely back toward shore, but quickly realised the woman was now in trouble herself. He shouted to her to use the buoy for flotation. She reached the rocks, where Justin got to her and pulled her up to safety.

When NSRI crews arrived on scene, both swimmers were already out of the water. They were medically assessed and, apart from exhaustion, did not require further treatment.

NSRI Knysna station commander Jerome Simonis praised the actions that unfolded before crews arrived.

“NSRI commend Justin for his swift actions in rescuing the couple and we commend Kathryn for her assistance giving the lady the NSRI pink rescue buoy,” he said, adding: “Their swift actions contributed to saving the lives of the foreign couple.”

Strong rip currents, alongside weak or nonexistent swimming skills, are two of the leading causes of drowning at sea. The best way to avoid being carried out by a rip current is to be observant about where you’re swimming, and swim where lifeguards are on duty.

If you are caught in a rip current without help, don’t panic. Stay calm and swim slowly and conservatively at 90 degrees from the direction that you are being pulled. Or relax and let it carry you out past the breakers until it slacks.

If you see someone caught in a rip current, don’t enter the water unless you are trained and have emergency flotation such as a pink rescue buoy or a surf board.

If you’re not trained in water rescue, throw something that floats into the rip current which will carry it out to the person in difficulty, and then call for help. The pink rescue buoy signs have emergency numbers for the closest NSRI station on them.

Sources: NSRI Knysna

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