A Tafelsig father drowned after saving three teenage boys.
Reza Yon, 48, was about to leave Mnandi beach when he heard the boys were in trouble in the water just before 3pm, on Sunday September 25.
Speaking to the Plainsman yesterday, Tuesday October 4, his only daughter Tara Yon, 23, said that he had turned back to help the boys.
“He was a hero,’’ she said, adding that he had not known the teenagers.
He is survived by his daughter and three sons, aged between 30 and 8.
Arno Constance, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Strandfontein deputy station commander, said they had been activated at 2.45pm, following reports of a drowning in progress near to Mnandi Beach.
“After witnessing the teenagers caught in a rip current Mr Yon launched into the water to go to their aid, armed with a body board.
‘’He reached the three teenagers in the water providing them with the body board to use as flotation before he got into difficulty.
‘’Without a doubt the flotation of the body board contributed to saving the three teenagers’ lives,’’ said Mr Constance.
The NSRI Strandfontein sea rescue craft Rescue 16 Alpha was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene, he said.
Mr Constance said other water rescue services could not immediately be reached due to load shedding which prevented digital communication.
According to the NSRI report, their craft rescued two teenagers who were located in the back breaker surf zone, and using a body board for flotation. Both were hypothermic and in shock.
‘’While bringing the two teenagers to the shore they indicated that their friend, also a teenager, had managed to reach the shore, while an adult male had been in the water assisting them before they had lost sight of the adult male,’’ he said.
They spotted Mr Yon in the mid break surf zone, and brought him onto the sea rescue craft. By that time, however, he was not breathing.
On shore, NSRI medics’ efforts to resuscitate Mr Yon were unsuccessful and he was declared deceased.
SAPS and Western Cape Government Health emergency services were also on the scene.
One of the three teens, aged 13 and 14, was treated by EMS paramedics for hypothermia and for shock before being released. The other two teenagers left the scene by private transport.
Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services took the body of the deceased man into their care. Police have opened an inquest docket.