Margao: Eight persons were rescued from drowning on the Goan coast on the last day of the year 2020 by Drishti lifeguards. A triple rescue at Palolem beach was executed while double rescue at Galgibag River and single rescues at Varca, Ashvem and Patnem were done by lifeguards.
At Palolem beach, a large group of people were swimming. Among them was a 29-year-old woman from Delhi and two men, aged 27 and 31, one from Haryana and the other from Kolkata who got caught up in a rip current. They struggled to swim back to the shore. While two were rescued on the rescue board, the other victim was saved using the rescue tube. Each victim was brought back to safety on a Jetski.
In another incident that took place, a Goan family of four was bathing at Galgibagh river. Despite several warnings about the presence of a rip current, the family continued swimming. After a while, two out of the four, one man aged 50 and the other boy aged 10, found themselves in distress after being caught in a rip current. The victims were immediately secured, using a rescue tube and brought back to safety.
At Varca beach, a family from Uttar Pradesh entered the waters. Among them was a 38-year-old lady who drifted deeper into the sea and was caught in a rip current. The tourist was secured with a rescue tube and brought back to safety.
Ashvem and Patnem too witnessed rescues of a single ladies.
Drishti Marine, the State lifesaving agency, deployed additional lifeguards across beaches in north and south Goa as the beaches are packed with people given that it’s the festive holiday season. Patrolling hours have been extended till 11 pm the first week of Jan 2021. Additionally on December 24, December 25 the lifesavers manned the beaches till 1 am in the morning and did the same on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2020.
