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Family Swept Out to Sea by a Powerful Rip Current

— March 4, 2025 34 comments
Family Swept Out to Sea by a Powerful Rip Current
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A harrowing rescue in Jongensfontein saw NSRI Stilbaai and local surfers team up to save a family of three swept out to sea by a powerful rip current.

Retha Oosthuizen, who lost consciousness during the ordeal, was revived on the rescue craft before being transported to a local doctor’s practice. Now recovering, she has expressed heartfelt gratitude to the heroes who saved her life and shared a cautionary message about beach safety.

In an emotional statement, Retha thanked the NSRI and local surfers: “I just want to say a big thank you to NSRI for your incredible work.” She praised everyone involved, including the surfers and the lifeguard who kept her afloat and calmed her family during the crisis.

𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘‘ π‘™π‘œπ‘£π‘’π‘‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘’π‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘€π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”, π‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘–π‘“π‘–π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘¦ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘œπ‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘›. 𝐼 π‘ π‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘˜ π‘“π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘š π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ β„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘, π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘™π‘œπ‘£π‘’ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘›π‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘  𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑀𝑒𝑝𝑑 π‘Žπ‘€π‘Žπ‘¦ 𝑏𝑦 π‘Ž π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘’π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ π‘Žπ‘”π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘ π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘Žπ‘£π‘’π‘ , π‘œπ‘›π‘™π‘¦ π‘‘π‘œ π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒.

𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘šπ‘¦ π‘œπ‘€π‘› 𝑒π‘₯π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’. 𝑂𝑛 π½π‘Žπ‘›π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘¦ 3π‘Ÿπ‘‘, 2025, 𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘π‘Žπ‘’π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 π‘Ž π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œπ‘œπ‘˜ π‘šπ‘’ 1π‘˜π‘š π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘’π‘Ž. 𝐼𝑑 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘Ž π‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘”π‘”π‘™π‘’, 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑑𝑒 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘£π‘’ π‘€π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿ, π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘šπ‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘™π‘–π‘§π‘’ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ π‘›π‘œ π‘šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›π‘”π‘‘β„Ž π‘‘π‘œ π‘“π‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘“π‘™π‘œπ‘Žπ‘‘, π‘¦π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘¦ π‘ β„Žπ‘’π‘‘π‘  π‘‘π‘œπ‘€π‘›, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ 𝑒π‘₯π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’ π‘Ž 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒 π‘œπ‘“ π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘š. π‘Œπ‘œπ‘’ 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 π‘™π‘–π‘˜π‘’ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘Žπ‘ π‘™π‘’π‘’π‘, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘¦ 𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑑𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 π‘Žπ‘”π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘ π‘‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘’π‘šπ‘Ž π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘Žπ‘–π‘›. π‘Œπ‘œπ‘’ π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘ π‘π‘–π‘œπ‘’π‘ π‘›π‘’π‘ π‘  π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘œπ‘›’𝑑 𝑏𝑒 π‘Žπ‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’’π‘Ÿπ‘’ 𝑑𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐼𝑑 π‘€π‘œπ‘›’𝑑 𝑏𝑒 π‘π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘“π‘’π‘™, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘›’𝑑 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘’𝑠 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘π‘π‘’π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’. 𝐡𝑦 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘–π‘šπ‘’, π‘¦π‘œπ‘’’𝑙𝑙 β„Žπ‘Žπ‘£π‘’ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒.

𝐼 π‘ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘π‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ 𝐼 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘› π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘œπ‘›π‘’ 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠, π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿ β„Žπ‘œπ‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑑, 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘“π‘–π‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘šπ‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘ , π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑 π‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘”π‘  π‘ π‘Žπ‘‘π‘›π‘’π‘ π‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘˜ π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ 𝑖𝑑. 𝐴𝑠 π‘Ž π‘šπ‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿ, 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 π‘“π‘Žπ‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘β„Ž π‘œπ‘“ π‘šπ‘¦ π‘β„Žπ‘–π‘™π‘‘ (π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ 𝑏𝑦 π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘€π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”, 𝑏𝑒𝑑 π‘Ž π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘π‘π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘‘), π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘ π‘‘ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑠 π‘€π‘œπ‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ β„Žπ‘’ 𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑑 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘’π‘”β„Ž 𝑖𝑛 β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘“π‘–π‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘šπ‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘ . 𝐼’π‘š π‘Ž 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑖𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠! 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑝 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘“π‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘šπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  𝑖𝑠 π‘šπ‘¦ π‘€π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘œπ‘“ 𝑑𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑒π‘₯π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘šπ‘œπ‘ π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘§π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘š, 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑑𝑒 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  β„Žπ‘Žπ‘π‘π‘’π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”. 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘”β„Ž 𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘  π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘π‘’π‘’π‘‘, 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑒π‘₯π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’ π‘Ž π‘›π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘β„Ž, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘  𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑝.

𝐼 π‘€π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘’π‘œπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 π‘π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑛 π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ π‘“π‘–π‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘šπ‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘ π‘›’𝑑 π‘π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘“π‘’π‘™, π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ π‘€π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘›’𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 π‘Žπ‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’. π‘ƒπ‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘’ π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘ .

𝐼’π‘š π‘ π‘œ π‘ π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘¦ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘›π‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘  π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘€π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”. π‘ƒπ‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘’ π‘˜π‘›π‘œπ‘€ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝑖𝑑’𝑠 π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘π‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘“π‘’π‘™, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘¦ 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑑 π‘ π‘’π‘“π‘“π‘’π‘Ÿ. 𝑀𝑦 β„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘”π‘œπ‘’π‘  π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘œ π‘’π‘Žπ‘β„Ž π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦ π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’.

𝐼𝑓 π‘¦π‘œπ‘’’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘’π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑛 π‘Ž π‘ π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘€β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘œπ‘›π‘’, π‘π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘’ π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘π‘Žπ‘› π‘“π‘™π‘œπ‘Žπ‘‘, π‘™π‘–π‘˜π‘’ π‘Ž π‘π‘œπ‘œπ‘™ π‘›π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘π‘™π‘’, π‘Žπ‘› π‘’π‘šπ‘π‘‘π‘¦ π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘‘π‘™π‘’, π‘Ž π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘¦π‘π‘œπ‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘, π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘› 𝑁𝑆𝑅𝐼 π‘ƒπ‘–π‘›π‘˜ 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑒 π΅π‘’π‘œπ‘¦. 𝐺𝑒𝑑 β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘ π‘–π‘šπ‘šπ‘’π‘‘π‘–π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘™π‘¦, π‘ β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘π‘’π‘œπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘œπ‘› π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘β„Ž π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑛 π‘›π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘π‘¦ β„Žπ‘œπ‘’π‘ π‘’π‘ . π‘€π‘Žπ‘›π‘¦ π‘π‘’π‘œπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘¦π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘ π‘œπ‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ , π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“π‘‘π‘’π‘› 𝑖𝑑’𝑠 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘œπ‘› π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘¦π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠, π‘›π‘œπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘œπ‘›π‘’ π‘€β„Žπ‘œ 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑑 β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘¦.”

π‘‡β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘˜ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’.

– Retha Oosthuizen

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About the Author: NSRI

34 Comments

  1. How great is our GodπŸ™πŸ™πŸ™. Prayer kept her hanging on till NSIR rescued her πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™ŒπŸ’–

  5. Dont ever ignore visible warning signs ..they are theire for a very good reason
    Dont ever think it doesnt apply to you
    Dont ever underestimate the power of rip currents.
    Teach kids to respect warning signs even if others are not obeying it

  6. 3 family members saved and given a second chance to life but not a word of praise and thanks to Lord Jesus Christ! Or did I miss it?
    Know why Europe is sinking?

  7. There is an illustrated children’s book called A Current in the Sea that explains rip currents and how to rescue yourself.
    I made a video about the book. Everyone should read this to their children so they know not to panic, to swim parallel to the shore and escape the current.
    Everyone should know how to float and how to tread water calmly.
    Talk to the lifeguard at your beach to ask about water conditions.
    If you see a place where the waves appear flatter, it can be where the current is moving water away from the beach.
    People seem to be attracted to these spots because they think it’s easier to get past the waves and into the water.

  8. Well done to the surfers, NSRI and the life gaurd. Heroes.
    Not many people live to tell the tale of such a life changing and almost life altering event.
    Don't underestimate the Sea, she is powerful.

  11. Dear Retha, I was taken by a rip current in Umkomaas Durban in 2014 and can 100% confirm that I experienced the same as you did. There was no pain.

  12. God was julle genadig.Dis n hartseer maar mooi storie en dit help mense om te leer Dat die soort waarskuwings op die strand daar is vir n rede… Ons moet gehoor saam wees… Baie sterkte vorentoe

  13. C'mon NSRI, you're missing a trick and golden opportunity here: close the video with safety rules for the general population. A family of four was nearly lost to sea due to their ignorance, negligence and panic. Close the video off with the simple rules for the public:
    1. Don't swim in a no-swimming area – go to a beach with swimming area and lifeguards (esp. if you have young children!!)
    2. Don't fight a rip – swim out perpendicular to the side (along the beach)
    3. Don't blindly jump in to save a person, even when it's a family member – call for help (list NSRI number), look for a lifeguard, call to surfers or boogers on beach or water. At the very least grab one of the buoys strategically placed along the whole coast.
    The family parents: telling young children to play in shallow water is like telling them it's ok to play on the highway, as long as they stay in the emergency lane. You are asking for trouble. If you are unfamiliar with the ocean, are not strong swimmers/surfers or watermen, do NOT underestimate the ocean and follow rule 1! Crazy, how you knowingly chose to visit a no-swimming beach. Jongens is also a particularly dangerous beach for a variety of reasons: hence the no swimming rule!

  14. A cautionary tale. People.do.not understand the power of tides.and currents. I am so.glad you made it. God bless your family, and the emergency services.who.risk their lives to save others.

  25. Really really scary watching that. What a terrible experience but it did have a happy ending. Even knee deep water can be treacherous. Little kids have no chance. To this day I am afraid of the sea unless it’s flat.

  31. People must learn about ocean currents, under currents and rip tides before they even think of getting into the ocean. Then you must already know how to swim ro save yourself if anything like this happens…

    Glad they are safe.

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