Cape Town - A Mitchell’s Plain fisherman has hailed the heroic efforts of two lifeguards who rescued him after he was swept away by a rip current while chasing after his friend’s fish.
Heinrich Hans, 47, said he nearly died trying to catch the kabeljou, which he estimated to be around 20kg, while fishing near Mnandi Beach.
The stretch of coastline between Mitchell’s Plain and Strandfontein is known as Biespens and is a popular fishing spot.
Hans, who has been fishing since 14, said he was teaching someone how to fish with live bait when he was swept out to sea.
“I was showing this guy how to fish with live bait. Just a few hours before, I caught a kabeljou that was about 10kg.
“The guy caught the fish and he reeled it in. It was about 5m away and got stuck in a reef.
“We are used to going to that reef and untangling nets so I didn’t see it as a big deal and I really wanted that guy to get his fish. It was big and I estimated it weighed around 20kg.”
Hans said he was swept away by a rip current, which suddenly appeared.
“It swept me out about 400m and all I was doing was fighting for my life,” he said.
“I did lifesaving for a year but at that point all my training just went out the window and all I was trying to do was stay above water and get air.
“Another fisherman named Rameez Majiet managed to swim to me but as he could not stand in the water, we thought it’s best for him to get out before we panic and drown each other because the water was very rough.”
He said another fisherman, Wayne Solomons, drove towards Mnandi Beach to alert the lifeguards and Sinethemba Jikela and Dominic Smith responded. Smith said Jikela, who is working in his first season at a Cape Town beach, swam out and recovered Hans, who had almost passed out.
“He was very lame from all the fighting and just a few minutes later he would have been a goner. He had already swallowed water and was starting to vomit,” Smith said.
“I met them and helped to retrieve him from the water where he was attended by paramedics and taken to hospital. That area is very dangerous and the sea was very rough on the day.
“We have had many drownings there as the area is known for the dangerous rip currents.”
Hans, a father of four, said he was convinced he would die on the day.
“I already threw up and at some point I was able to float. When my wife arrived she was very worried and scolded me because just last year I had a heart attack while busy with a shark.
“I was hospitalised for water in my lungs but I am fine now. I went fishing again but I must admit I was a bit scared. I am very grateful to the lifeguards and I have learnt to never play with the sea; next time rather cut off the line.”