Scelo Cele of Shelly Beach Tower Control, a former lifeguard and skipper, grabbed a torpedo rescue buoy, rushed to the shoreline and leapt into the water, swimming after the man being swept out to sea. | NSRI Wilderness
Durban – A good Samaritan has been hailed for using a rescue torpedo buoy to save a man’s life during a near-drowning incident this week.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has commended Scelo Cele, of Shelly Beach Tower Control, for saving the life of a man who was caught in a rip current at the boat launch slipway side of Shelly Beach on Tuesday.
Cele is a former lifeguard at KZN South Coast Municipal Lifesaving and a former skipper at the KZN Sharks Board.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said Cele and his colleagues at the Shelly Beach Tower Control were on duty – for boats coming and going at the slipway – when they heard shouts for help.
When they looked out into the surf zone they saw a man caught in rip currents who appeared to be in grave danger. He was being swept out to sea and was barely keeping his head above water.
“Scelo grabbed a torpedo rescue buoy that they keep in the control tower and he rushed to the shoreline and leapt into the water – swimming after the man who was being swept out to sea,” Lambinon said.
“Scelo used that same rip current to swiftly reach the man – who kept disappearing underwater while Scelo swam towards him.”
The man first tried to grab on to Cele to stay afloat but Cele’s years of experience as a lifeguard took over.
“Scelo passed the man the rescue torpedo buoy while encouraging him to tread water, use the torpedo buoy for flotation and lie backwards to stay afloat, while Scelo secured the man,” Lambinon said.
According to Cele, once the man realised that with the rescue torpedo buoy in his hands, he was floating, he calmed down.
Lambinon said colleagues called the NSRI Shelly Beach and Netcare 911 ambulance service.
“Scelo started swimming the man away from the rip current – across the beach line – and then pulled him towards the shore.
“Occasionally the man, fearing for his life, let go of the torpedo buoy but each time Scelo reassured him before finally swimming alongside the man while the man held on to the buoy.”
Lambinon said the man was taken to hospital.
“Scelo, the Shelly Beach Tower Control staff and all who assisted are commended for contributing to this man’s life being saved,” Lambinon said.
Lambinon said an NSRI pink rescue buoy was placed at the beach on Monday, May 6, on an NSRI pole. The Umthunzi Hotel and Conference group sponsored the buoy.
“Although Scelo did not need to use that particular NSRI pink rescue buoy because they have their own buoy in their control tower, they all agreed that it was nice to know that there was an buoy on hand if it had been needed.”
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Daily News
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