A Bloubergstrand car guard has been awarded a letter of appreciation from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) for saving two young men from drowning in January.
Adenaan Achmat received the award on Monday May 8 for saving the men who were caught in a strong cross current between the beach and the small island.
He told the Cape Argus he was proud of himself for saving two lives.
“I was alerted by a motorcyclist in the parking lot who noticed two young men in difficulty near the small island a couple of hundred metres off the beach. I could see the boys couldn’t swim and were in danger of drowning. One was screaming because he couldn’t float anymore, the current was too high.
“I grabbed my small inflatable boat and using it as a flotation I went to their rescue,” said Mr Achmat who is in the Kleinbaai parking area every day.
NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said: “Your unhesitating willingness to help two men in difficulty in the sea, and taking your inflatable boat with you so that they could hold on to it while waiting for help to arrive, saved two lives.
“To go to the aid of two people who you did not know, for no reward, is in the very best traditions of the National Sea Rescue Institute. We salute you.”
A video of the handover is posted at www.nsri.org.za
