Bay businessman swims out alone to rescue dad, three kids in difficulty at Kelly’s Beach
By Faith Mtwana
A well-known Eastern Cape businessman has been hailed a hero after saving a family of four from drowning at Kelly’s Beach in Port Alfred last weekend.
Gqeberha’s Edward Gutsche, 49, was about to leave the beach after bodyboarding for a few hours when he was approached by two frantic women who alerted him to four people struggling in the water.
“I don’t usually go bodyboarding at this beach, but it was the only place where the waves were good.
“As soon I was told about the people drowning, I didn’t even think about it.
“I immediately put my flippers back on and got back into the water.
“I saved the one daughter first and got her onto my board.
He was able to get the three children onto his board while he went back to get their father.
He says he had to reassure the father that his children were okay before he could help him out of the water.
“I had to calm him down first before I tried to get him out of the water.
Gutsche was able to gather the family around his board and swam back to shore with them behind him.
“By the time I was done, I was very tired.
“The whole thing happened so fast, I didn’t realise the severity until afterward when I was alone … I just happened to be at the right place at the right time,” he said.
He was later assisted by swimmer Nick Laws, who helped him get the family onto the beach.
Fortunately nobody suffered any major injuries.
“I saw that there was drama and when I looked at the ocean. I saw heads moving in the distance,” Laws said.
“I knew help was needed.
“I ran up the beach and grabbed the pink buoy [NSRI rescue device].
“Ed had already saved them so I just swam next to them towards the shore.
“I think it is quite incredible what Ed did and I hope people are inspired by his selflessness.”
The entire rescue operation was completed in less than 30 minutes, with the bulk of the time being spent getting the family to shore and calming them down.
According to eyewitnesses, a member of the beach office had been observing them but offered no help, and no NSRI help was requested.
The NSRI reported multiple incidents in the East London, Mossel Bay and Herold’s Bay areas last weekend.
On Saturday morning, NSRI East London responded to an incident at West Bank involving a fisherman who had died after reportedly attempting to assist a family member who had got into difficulties on the shoreline while trying to recover his fishing line.
On Sunday, the NSRI Wilderness duty crew saved two swimmers caught in rip currents at Herold’s Bay.
- DispatchLive
