Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Dussehra weekend, which saw an increase in the volume of tourists visiting Goa for a weekend holiday, witnessed 11 rescues carried out by Drishti Marine lifesavers along the coast, which included the rescue of two Russian nationals.
Over the weekend, lifesavers also executed three double rescues, while managing to reunite a missing child and provide medical assistance to six persons during the same period.
Two Russian women tourists were rescued by lifesavers in two separate incidents at Morjim and Candolim beaches in North Goa. At Morjim, a 58-year-old Russian woman was swimming with a group of six others, when she was caught in a rip tide, which she found difficult to extricate from. Noticing her discomfort, lifesavers Vikas Chavan and Amol Salgaonkar rushed to her aid with the help of a surfboard and jetski, bringing her ashore. At Candolim, lifesaver Bhaskar Ghatkar similarly rescued another Russian national, who was caught in a rip tide.
The Dussehra weekend also witnessed three double rescues occurring off Baga and Ozrant beaches. At Mobor, a mother (39 years) and son (nine years) had panicked after finding themselves in chest-deep water, unable to swim ashore. Their discomfort was spotted by lifesavers Vishal Gaonkar and Satendra Velip, who rescued them with a rescue tube and surfboard.
Off Baga beach, lifesavers rescued two friends, aged 35 and 40, who had ventured deep into the water while under the influence of alcohol. Noticing them drowning, lifesavers Suraj Nimbalkar, Leslie Rodrogies, Vinod Gaonkar, and Siddesh Bhosle rushed in with a rescue tube, surfboard and jetski to bring both safely ashore. At Ozran beach, lifesavers acted swiftly to save siblings aged seven and ten, swept into the sea by a sudden wave. The boy and girl were wading in the water when they began drowning, after being unbalanced by the uneven seabed. Lifesavers Babaji Naik and Suhas Gawas used a surfboard and rescue tube to bring them to safety. The children’s parents were at a nearby shack when the incident occurredLifesaversere carried othree single rescuesers at Baga and Candolim beaches. At Candolim beach, a 72-year-old female from Lucknow got dragged into the water while sitting at the shore when lifesavers Sanjay Yadav, Yashwant and Jaiprakash Choudhary rushed to her aid and got the victim out to safety. Her vitals were found to be absent but was recovered with CPR by the lifesavers. The victim has been shifted to GMC for further treatment.
Drishti Marine lifesavers reunited a nine-year-old girl from Bengaluru with her family at Calangute beach, after she was reported missing by her parents. The missing girl was located within ten minutes after lifesavers made public announcements in an effort to trace her.
At Baga Beach, a heavily intoxicated 21-year-old from West Bengal was found with an alarmingly low pulse rate, he was handed over in the care of medical emergency personnel by attending lifesavers.
