The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has lauded the efforts of local Good Samaritans who helped save the life of a 10-year-old child in Sea Point on Thursday afternoon.

The NSRI and City of Cape Town Rescue Services responded to the scene at Rocklands Beach shortly before 5 PM, as bystanders were already busy with resuscitation efforts of the boy.

The child was conscious and breathing spontaneously but with difficulty. The child was stabilised on the scene before being transported to the hospital by a Netcare 911 ambulance in a serious but stable condition.

The NSRI’s Craig Lambinon says during the Spring high tide, it appears that the 10-year-old was sitting on rocks with his brother, aged 13, while their dad was nearby. They reside in Gugulethu.

Waves then unexpectedly and suddenly swept the 10-year-old boy off the rocks into the water. His brother was able to escape from the waves to safety.

An unidentified Good Samaritan man then immediately went into the surf to try to assist.

Meanwhile, a group of local surfers had also noticed the incident unfold. One of the local surfers, 21-year-old Devon Coombe, from Kenilworth, launched his surfboard to also assist.

Devon recognised that the unidentified Good Samaritan man was attempting to get the child’s head above water.

On reaching them, in the surf zone, Devon was able to recover the child onto his surfboard, and he paddled to shore, where resuscitation efforts were commenced on the child and the alarm was raised.

“The unidentified Good Samaritan man, the Good Samaritan surfer, Devon Coombe, from Kenilworth, and all of the bystanders who assisted and who raised the alarm, are commended for their contribution that saved the child’s life.”