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Archive -Seychelles

Australian couple saved from possible drowning |17 January 2018

Daniel Vidot, an eighteen-year-old man from Bel Ombre, on Monday evening masterminded the saving operation of an Australian couple who were in difficulty while swimming at Marie Laure beach at Bel Ombre.

Daniel, together with colleague Curtis Barbe, another colleague named Mergheseand Steve Payet, a fisherman of Bel Ombre, together coordinated a rescue operation to bring the couple safely to shore.

It was Daniel himself who first realised the couple was in difficulty. They were waving for help but most people believed they were enjoying themselves, even other tourists who were swimming close by.

Daniel is a student at the Seychelles Institute of Art & Design. He has done scouting where he learned rescue and leadership and other techniques of a scout. Unfortunately he does not know the names of the couple and did not ask them. They also didn’t tell and had come to the beach in a vehicle. So it is not sure from which hotel they are from. But Daniel knows they are Australians through certain conversation.

“I was on the beach at Marie Laure on Monday with four friends – a boy and three girls – when I noticed the couple swimming in the sea. Especially the woman as she was closer to shore and nearer the coral reef, whereas her husband was more far out at sea. I saw the lady waving her hands like in a ‘hello’ sign. There were other tourists around but a bit far off who I think believed the lady was waving hello as they were laughing. But when I looked I realised this was a distress call for help. I quickly reacted by shedding off my t-shirt and throwing it on the beach together with my phone, and rushed towards her,” Daniel explained when telling his story to Seychelles NATION.

He said as he was rushing in the sea, he shouted out to one of his friends, Curtis Barbe, informing him the couple were in distress.

“He also reacted quickly. I reached the lady first. She told me she was fine and that it was her husband who was more desperate. By that time, the husband was quite far out at sea and was quite tired as he had been fighting against the current. When I reached him I turned him over on top of me so he could use my body as support. I instructed him to paddle with hands and legs, something which I was also doing. We swam towards the reef, where the currents were less strong and as we were about a quarter of the distance to shore, the man became really tired,” said Daniel. At that time Curtis was assisting the lady, something which was easier for him as the lady was nearer to shore and the reef.

And as the waves were quite big and rough that day, sea water started to go into the man’s nose.

“So I asked him to again turn over, cling to my shoulders and back and paddle with his legs only. I managed to hold him until he was able to breathe again properly. Unfortunately at that time the current was pulling us towards the open sea again. Curtis, who has managed to assist the lady to shore, came to our rescue but he was also very tired as he was fighting the waves and current to reach us,” Daniel said.

Daniel said fortunately people on the beach, including his other friends, have taken stock of the situation and had sought help. They called Steve Payet, a fisherman of Bel Ombre and a person known to them, to come to the rescue. A young man who lives around Marie Laure had also realised what was going one and had brought along a small dinghy before he was later joined by Steve and another resident who brought along a boat.

“Both the young man with the dinghy and I assisted the man to hang on to the dinghy while we towed him towards shore before he was embarked on the boat provided by Steve,” said Daniel.

Daniel said the couple were very, very grateful and kept thanking them profusely while we brushed off their compliments.

“We just wanted to help,” said Daniel. Daniel believes Marie Laure is a normal place to go swimming but during rough seas it is not advisable to go there as there can be strong currents.

Anse Marie Laure is a small, oft-deserted beach at Bel Ombre off Beau Vallon going towards Bel Ombre. Anse Marie Laure itself offers beautiful scenery, as with most of the other beaches in the Seychelles, perfect for amateur photographers and relaxing beach days. The water there is also shallow enough for swimming, but there is no protection afforded by a coral reef, so there are better options for swimming elsewhere on the island. Therefore, families or couples who are looking for a quiet spot to relax, away from the bustling Beau Vallon area, will find something to like about Anse Marie Laure.

 

 

 

 

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