Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Sixteen people — including five foreign nationals — were rescued from drowning at various beaches and at Dudhsagar waterfalls over the weekend by Drishti Marine lifesavers. During the same period, lifesavers also traced a missing child and administered first aid in two separate cases, including treating a jellyfish sting.
At Mandrem beach, a Russian couple, aged 41 and 38, was pulled nearly 100 metres out by a rip current before lifesavers Karan Tandel (on a rescue board) and Dattaguru Korgankar (on a jet ski) brought them ashore. In another incident on the same beach, a 38-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh was rescued by Suraj Kelushkar using a rescue board.
At Morjim, a 37-year-old tourist from the UK was dragged 60 metres offshore by a rip current. Lifesavers Nutan Mote and Vikram Talakar carried out the rescue using a board and jet ski.
At Baga beach, lifesavers Sudhar Singh and Sujan Nagvekar assisted a 23-year-old tourist from Maharashtra who struggled to return to the shore.
At Candolim, 19-year-old tourist from Telangana was unable to swim back to safety and was rescued by Krishna Shiddekar with a rescue tube.
At Bogmalo, an 11-year-old girl from Baga suffered a jellyfish sting. Lifesavers provided immediate first aid before handing her over to the 108 ambulance service.
At Velsao, a 54-year-old woman from Zuarinagar who fell in shallow water and had difficulty breathing was stabilised by lifesavers, who cleared her airway and provided oxygen support.
At Betalbatim, two Russian women aged 72 and 63 were caught in a rip current. Unable to understand warnings due to a language barrier, they were rescued by lifesavers Mayur Lahane and Suraj Girap.
At Benaulim, a 29-year-old man from Hyderabad was pulled offshore by strong waves before lifesaver Miraj, supported by nearby teams, brought him to safety.
At Colva, a five-year-old boy from Karnataka who was found wandering alone was reunited with his parents after identification procedures.
At Palolem, lifesaver Parshuram Tari rescued a 25-year-old man and a six-year-old child after their kayak capsized around 500 metres from the shore.
At Agonda, a couple swimming outside the safe zone ignored repeated warnings, resulting in a 27-year-old woman from Maharashtra drifting into a rip current. Lifesaver Datta Velip rescued her using a rescue board.
At Patnem, two tourists from Uttarakhand, aged 25 and 28, were rescued by Megraj Girap after being caught in strong currents.
At Dudhsagar waterfalls, lifesaver Sangam Dushi rescued a three-and-a-half-year-old girl from Kerala who slipped into deep water without a life jacket. In another incident, Sagar Dushi rescued a 30-year-old man from Hyderabad who also entered the water without a life jacket.
Drishti Marine has once again urged visitors to follow safety instructions, remain in demarcated swim zones, and wear life jackets at waterfalls and other high-risk water bodies.
