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5 May 2023
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South African NSRI rescue swimmer helps rescue two women from a sinking car in Hawaii
While on holiday in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, NSRI Hout Bay rescue swimmer Martin Wesemann, along with a friend and a sailor named Tony, rescued two women from a sinking car that accidentally drove down a slipway and into the Honokohau Marina and Small Boat Harbour on Saturday, 29 April 2023. Martin Wesemann and his South African friend, Sean Hutchinson who lives in Hawaii, had just returned from a cruise on Sean’s boat with some friends.
Wesemann said he and friends had returned from a cruise on Hutchinson’s boat. “We were on the boat next to the slipway when we noticed the vehicle, with a female driver and a female passenger, drive past us down the slipway without pausing and the vehicle entered the water before floating further into the harbour and begin to sink. Both ladies were preparing to escape through the vehicle’s front windows and naturally Sean and our fellow sailor Tony and myself jumped into the water to assist them.”
“We were able to help them to escape the sinking vehicle, through the front driver and front passenger windows, getting them both safely to shore without incident.”
Emergency services, including police, fire and rescue services and an ambulance, arrived promptly to provide additional assistance.
In the meantime, Martin established a towline for the vehicle using a rope, attaching it to the axle since there was no tow bar on the vehicle. Martin used a bowline knot to secure the towline underwater.
Fortunately, neither of the women sustained any injuries during the incident. The group believes that the vehicle’s navigation system may have led the women to drive down the slipway accidentally.
A video was filmed capturing the incident. Martin is wearing the grey shirt, Tony is wearing the red shirt and Sean is wearing the black shirt
Sources: NSRI, Cape Town Etc
Wesemann said he and friends had returned from a cruise on Hutchinson’s boat. “We were on the boat next to the slipway when we noticed the vehicle, with a female driver and a female passenger, drive past us down the slipway without pausing and the vehicle entered the water before floating further into the harbour and begin to sink. Both ladies were preparing to escape through the vehicle’s front windows and naturally Sean and our fellow sailor Tony and myself jumped into the water to assist them.”
“We were able to help them to escape the sinking vehicle, through the front driver and front passenger windows, getting them both safely to shore without incident.”
Emergency services, including police, fire and rescue services and an ambulance, arrived promptly to provide additional assistance.
In the meantime, Martin established a towline for the vehicle using a rope, attaching it to the axle since there was no tow bar on the vehicle. Martin used a bowline knot to secure the towline underwater.
Fortunately, neither of the women sustained any injuries during the incident. The group believes that the vehicle’s navigation system may have led the women to drive down the slipway accidentally.
A video was filmed capturing the incident. Martin is wearing the grey shirt, Tony is wearing the red shirt and Sean is wearing the black shirt
Sources: NSRI, Cape Town Etc
