Two Milnerton lifeguards have been praised for helping two men and their dogs after they were swept into the surf at Milnerton’s Lagoon Beach last week.
The men managed to save their dogs and swim to shore without any help from rescue personnel, but the lifeguards provided follow-up support, according to a Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club statement
It is believed the men were walking their dogs just after 5.30pm on Monday July 29 when they all got swept away in the strong currents near the mouth of the lagoon, said the statement.
Off-duty Milnerton lifeguard Reuben Mc Lachlan responded from his home after seeing a message about the incident on a WhatsApp group chat, and another lifeguard, Michael Chandler, was called to the scene.
Unable to cross the lagoon mouth due to the strong currents, Mr Mc Lachlan returned to Milnerton Beach from where he, together with Mr Chandler, met up with the men and the dogs at the clubhouse.
One of the men said he had swallowed a lot of water, he was shivering uncontrollably and appeared to show signs of hypothermia, according to the statement.
The lifeguards called an ambulance, offered the men the use of the club’s showers to warm them up and stayed with the men until medics arrived to provide further help.
Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club chairwoman Bonita Jones said: “We are extremely grateful that this incident had a happy ending and both men and dogs survived their ordeal. We would like to use this opportunity to warn members of the public about the extremely dangerous surf conditions at our beach and specifically around Lagoon Beach at this time with rough seas and very strong currents. Please be vigilant and safe out there.”
The incident comes shortly after Buhle “Gora” Pantshwa and Siyamthanda “Zaya” Mqolombeni drowned at Lagoon Beach on Sunday July 21, and a fisherman drowned in a separate incident on the same weekend near Small Bay (“Three weekend drownings at Lagoon Beach, Small Bay,” Tabletalk, July 24). And on Tuesday May 14, Pierre Lotter, 23, his three dachshunds and his uncle, Willem Pretorious, 47, were swept away by waves while they were fishing at Kids Rock in Blouberg (“Tragic end to search for man, 23, and three dogs,” Tabletalk, May 22).
