PANAJI (Goa)

Ten tourists holidaying in Goa ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations, were rescued by Dristi lifeguards at Arambol beach in what one could term was a dramatic situation.

It was on Thursday afternoon at about 1:10pm, approximately 350 mtrs left of tower Arambol-1, Drishti lifeguards Ramkrishna Shakshele and Manoj Parab secured and rescued 10 victims of which seven were males and three females. 

Details shared with the media reveal that Shakshele was controlling a crowd of around 60 who had ventured into the water at Arambol beach. Panic struck when a 10-year-old boy who also ventured into the water along with his family was caught in a rip current and started drifting seawards. A group of five male tourists swimming in the same zone rushed to rescue the boy. Simultaneously, the family members of the boy comprising of one male and three females spotted him in trouble and also rushed to his aid. 

“All nine persons were also caught in a strong rip current and were in distress. Lifeguard Shakshele spotted the incident  and immediately relayed a message to the tower and called for a Jetski. Paddling a distance of 50 mtrs Shakshele reached to the victims’ help. Simultaneously, Drishti lifeguards Parab and Dattaraj Korgaonkar also reached the spot. All ten victims were secured and rescued by the two lifeguards and brought back ashore,” a press statement issued by Drishti Lifeguards Services said. 

Upon recovery, vitals of the 10 victims were checked of whom eight were found to be normal while two felt uneasy and faced breathing problems. 

Soon 108 Ambulance was summoned and both victims were shifted to Tuem Primary Health Centre. Later it was confirmed from the PHC that one victim was discharged while the other was shifted to a hospital in Mapusa for further treatment.