An NSRI Knysna duty crew was activated on Tuesday afternoon following eye-witness reports of a man in difficulty in the surf and caught in rip-currents on the Wild Side at Buffalo Bay
On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue swimmers waded into the surf to assist a surfer who had paddled out through the surf to rescue a 50 year old German man.
It is believed that the casualty had been in the water struggling against rip currents for at least 40 minutes before the surfer reached him.
Once on the beach, the German tourist was found to be unconscious and suffering signs and symptoms of a near fatal drowning.
He remained in intensive care through the night, but hospital staff reported an improvement in his condition on Tuesday morning.
The surfer, Jean Bezuidenhout, was commended by the NSRI for his actions in saving the life of the casualty who is on holiday in South Africa with his wife and two children.
