Three foreigners, among others rescued off Goa beaches over the weekend

Panaji, February 2024: Three foreigners, including Afghan, French and Russian nationals, were rescued by Drishti Marine lifesavers off various beaches in Goa over the weekend. 

At Ashwem beach, a 64-year-old Russian was pulled into the deeper sections of the water while he was swimming off the beach. Drishti Marine lifesavers, Pratmesh Kubal and Sudhir Parab, noticed his struggle and rushed to his aid, bringing him back to shore with a jetski and rescue tube. 

A French national was rescued off Agonda beach by lifesavers Vikas Velip, Bhikash Velip and Parshuram Pagi, who noticed him struggling to swim in the water. After he was brought back to shore, he informed the lifesavers that he was fatigued and unable to swim back.

At Baga beach, a 25-year-old Afghan national was swimming in the sea with a companion, before he ventured deeper and was unable to swim back. He signalled to the shore for help, forcing Mahadev Usapker, a Drishti Marine lifesaver, to rescue him. 

In another incident, two persons from Sikkim and Bengaluru, between the ages of 25 and 27 years, were saved from drowning by Drishti Marine lifesaver Sant Parab with the help of a rescue tube and rescue board off Anjuna beach. 

An 18-year-old man from Bihar was also rescued off Mandrem beach after he was caught in a rough current, following which lifesaver Ravindra Korgaonkar rushed to his rescue, while at Mandrem beach, Drishti Marine lifesavers, Vaibhav Chodankar and Suhas Gawas rescued a 41-year-old man from Bihar from drowning.

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3-year-old boy rescued from drowning off Colva beach

Panaji, February 2024: A three-year-old boy was rescued from drowning off Colva beach by Drishti Marine lifesavers, who also rescued five other persons from drowning along the state’s coastline over the weekend. 

The young boy had just waded into the waters off Colva beach, when a sudden wave pulled him into the sea. An on-duty Drishti Marine lifesaver noticed his plight and quickly secured him, bringing him to shore.  
At Candolim beach, a 25-year-old man from Karnataka was intoxicated when he went into the water, despite several attempts to warn the individual to refrain from risking his life.  Once in the water, he was struggling to swim, forcing lifesavers Om Shirodkar and Suraj Sawant to rush into the water and save him from drowning with the help of a rescue tube. Once ashore, the individual suffered breathing issues and was rushed to the nearest Candolim Health Center in a Drishti Marine jeep. 

In another incident at Candolim beach, a group of 10 individuals were swimming in the water, when one of them, a 26-year-old man from Karnataka, appeared to be struggling to cope in the water. A Drishti Marine lifesaver rushed to his aid and secured the individual with a rescue tube. 

At Anjuna beach, a 27-year-old man from Hyderabad, was caught in a rough current while swimming. Drishti Marine lifesaver Anand Parab secured him with a rescue tube.

A group of seven tourists from Maharashtra visited Calangute beach, when four from the group decided to venture into the deeper sections of the water. The group was forewarned about entering the water by Drishti Marine lifesavers stationed at the beach. Despite several warnings, they ventured into the water. One person from the group, a 24-year-old man, was engulfed by a wave. Drishti Marine lifesaver Nakul Usapkar secured him with a rescue tube and brought him to the shore.

A 35-year-old male resident of Hyderabad was rescued at Galgibaga river. He was attempting to cross the river when he found himself drowning. Drishti Marine lifesaver Arvind Girap brought him ashore with a rescue tube. 

At Baga beach, a distressing incident occurred when a family, engrossed in water sports activities, unintentionally left their nine-year-old son unattended on the beach. The child went missing, prompting a 20-minute search by lifesavers. The child was later traced and safely reunited with his family. 

Similarly, at Colva beach, a three-year-old girl from Margao, Goa, got separated from her guardians. Captain Arun Shirodkar, noticing the distressed child along the beach, promptly intervened and brought her to safety at the local lifesaver tower. Following an announcement, the worried father contacted the lifesavers and was reunited with his daughter. 

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USA and Nepal nationals rescued off Goa’s beaches over the weekend

Panaji, February 2024: A US national and a couple from Nepal were among the several persons rescued from drowning off Goa’s beaches by lifesavers over the weekend. 

The 32-year-old American was caught in a riptide off Candolim beach after wading into the deeper sections of the water. Drishti Marine lifesaver Chandan Giri, equipped with a rescue tube, rushed into the water to save the individual. The foreigner’s vital signs were examined on rescue and were found to be stable. 

At Vagator beach, Drishti Marine lifesavers were alerted by a beach security patrol official about a Nepali couple struggling to swim in the water. Lifesavers Vishnu, Babaji and Bhagwan ran into the sea and using a rescue board and tube, carried the couple back to shore. 

At Ashwem beach, a Drishti Marine lifesaver noticed a 25-year-old woman from Karnataka being pulled deeper by a huge wave, making it difficult for her to swim. She was rescued by lifesavers using a rescue board and a rescue tube.

Drishti Marine lifesavers were also involved in administering first-aid to a 55-year-old man from Karnataka. While swimming in waist-deep water with his family off Calangute beach, the man suddenly fell, prompting his son to urgently seek assistance. Lifesavers stationed at the tower swiftly responded, entering the water to retrieve him. Upon initial assessment, the man displayed a stable pulse and normal breathing, but he remained unresponsive.  As a precautionary measure, oxygen was administered and within 10 minutes, he recovered. 

The lifesavers were later informed that the person had suffered from a sun-related allergy. He was later shifted to the nearest health care centre for further diagnosis.

Two children, aged four years and five years, respectively, who were reported missing by their kin at Calangute beach, were traced by on-duty Drishti Marine lifesavers over the weekend. 

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2 Himachal Pradesh Natives, 1 Foreigner Rescued from Drowning off Goa Beaches over Weekend

Panaji, February 2024: Two persons from Himachal Pradesh were rescued from drowning off Ashwem beach in North Goa, even as a Kazakh national was also rescued off Benaulim beach. 

At Ashwem beach, the two individuals, aged 20 and 21 years, both residents of Himachal Pradesh, found themselves caught in a powerful current while swimming in the water. Unable to swim back to shore, they sought assistance from Drishti Marine lifesavers. Pratamesh Kubal, Gananjay Sawant and Sudhir Parab who were in the vicinity, successfully rescued the duo using a jetski and a rescue tube.

At Baga beach, a 25-year-old man, a part of a group of 12 beach visitors from Karnataka, experienced a brain spasm, while he was in the water. On-duty lifesavers quickly brought the man back to shore, where they administered him oxygen and brought his vital signs back to normal. He was subsequently shifted to the nearby Candolim public health centre for further examination. 

A 60-year-old Kazakhstan national was rescued off Benaulim beach, after he waded deep into the water, despite repeated warnings from lifesavers. Once deeper into the water, he encountered rough waves, throwing him off guard. Lifesaver Satyanand Sadiye, rushed into the water and secured the man with a surfboard.

At Baga beach, a resident of Mysore sustained a leg injury from broken glass scattered on the shore, prompting lifesaver Divakar Dessai to provide immediate first-aid. In a similar occurrence at Candolim beach, a 38-year-old man from Chennai suffered a deep gash due to a half-buried broken glass fragment. He was also administered first-aid before being promptly transported to a nearby hospital for further medical attention.

At Calangute beach, a 26-year-old man from Telangana received first-aid from lifesavers after encountering breathing difficulties while in knee-deep water with his companions. After administering aid, the individual was subsequently transferred to a nearby hospital. At the same beach, a 44-year-old man from Jaipur also received initial first-aid for a leg sprain sustained in the water.

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4 kayakers saved from drowning off Agonda beach

Panaji, January 2024: Four persons involved in two separate kayak mishaps were rescued off Agonda beach over the weekend, which also saw four children who went missing on Goa’s beaches, reunited with their parents. 

At Agonda beach, a Pune-based couple aged between 26 to 32 years, who were kayaking off Agonda were at risk of drowning after their kayak overturned in the sea. A vigilant lifeguard observed the duo in distress and promptly alerted a nearby lifesaver, who set off on a rescue mission with a jetski and brought the couple to shore. 

In another similar incident, also reported off Agonda beach, two men, both 26 year olds from Maharashtra, were struggling in the water after their kayak overturned, before lifesaver Bhikash Velip rescued the duo with the help of a jetski.

Drishti Marine lifesavers also helped trace a 60-year-old man from Surat in Gujarat, who had gone missing at Calangute beach. The search mission was undertaken after the missing person’s brother approached a lifesaver with a photograph for identification. The missing person was successfully traced and brought back to the lifesaver’s tower on the beach, reuniting him with his brother. 

Calangute beach also witnessed two separate incidents in which two children, a four-year-old and a six-year-old, lost contact with their respective parents. On-duty Drishti Marine lifesavers conducted searches, ultimately locating their parents who were at another part of the beach. Sinquerim and Baga beaches also reported missing children aged seven and four years respectively, who were successfully traced due to swift efforts by Drishti Marine lifesavers stationed at the beaches.

A Drishti Marine lifesaver also apprehended an alleged thief, who was in the act of stealing the belongings of an individual at Baga beach. The person was subsequently handed over to local police personnel for further due diligence. 

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Drishti Marine’s beach rescue operations in Goa highlighted at World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Australia

~ Drishti Marine’s presentation of Goa’s drowning prevention statistics at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention (WCDP) in Perth, Australia, spotlighted Goa as a pioneer in drowning prevention operations in India.

~ Drishti Marine’s AI-driven rescue interventions AURUS and TRITON, widespread lifesaver presence, rescue dog squad and other measures have resulted in a 99 per cent reduction in drownings in Goa.

Panaji, January 2024- Goa’s innovative beach safety initiatives such as trained rescue dogs, artificial intelligence (AI) bots and an efficient army of lifesavers were under the spotlight at the International Life Saving Federation’s World Conference on Drowning Prevention (WCDP)  held recently at Perth in Australia. 

According to Navin Awasthi, CEO, Drishti Marine, Goa is at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation in drowning rescue operations in India with the deployment of AURUS, a self-driving robot and TRITON, the AI-powered monitoring system, putting the state at par with international lifesaving standards. 

“The Government of Goa is the only governing body in India that is taking serious measures to mitigate drowning deaths by deploying professional 400-plus lifesavers on several beaches. Consequently, Drishti Marine’s elite drowning prevention modus operandi in Goa has resulted in a 99 per cent reduction in drownings,” stated Awasthi.

Hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations (UN) and co-hosted by the Royal Life Saving Society – Australia (RLSS) and Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), WCDP  2023 gathered 750 experts from 50 countries in drowning prevention, lifesaving and water safety with the goal of ‘Shaping Global Strategy and Mobilising for Action’. 

Rajiv Somani, Chairman, Drishti Group, Ankit Somani, Managing Director, Drishti Works and Navin Awasthi, CEO gave a presentation titled ‘Use of AI, Robotics and Dogs in Drowning Prevention on Beaches of Goa, India’ that highlighted the state-of-the-art technologies and initiatives that Drishti Marine utilises for its rescue operations in the coastal state.

“Our presentation at WCDP was extremely well received. Aside from the AI bots, there are also 35 beach towers and several jeeps and jet skis deployed to aid rescue operations. There have been 4,760-plus incidents and 7,000-plus rescues across Goa and Maharashtra where we operate since Drishti Marine started operations in Goa in 2008,” stated Awasthi.

TRITON issues real-time alerts in all weather to tourists, the beach tower and headquarters and is low maintenance. AURUS, a UGV (unmanned ground vehicle) robot, helps issue announcements, patrolling and surveillance duties, logistics, crowd control, beach closures, live monitoring and carries surfboards and lifesaving equipment. Both systems can monitor the surroundings, assess risks and share real-time information to help on-duty Lifesavers respond faster. 

Drishti Marine’s ‘Paw Squad’, a team of trained dogs to aid lifesavers in rescue and beach safety operations, was also lauded by conference attendees. 

“Our team of Lifesaver dogs, the ‘Paw Squad’, was well commended. A first-of-its-kind programme in Asia, the team of ten dogs are presently being trained to spot and rescue victims in distress, search and rescue in rocky areas and locate missing children. The Paw Squad will be deployed in 2024. Our initiative has hopefully set a global precedent,” said Awasthi.

Awasthi stated that key takeaways from the conference are the eventual implementation of air-inflated surfboards, drowning detection and prevention technologies like SightBIt and AngelEye and drones that can drop auto-inflate lifebuoys to make rescue operations more seamless across Goa and eventually across India. 

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Lifesavers rescue two domestic tourists from Karnataka, Rajasthan over the weekend

Panaji, January 2024: Two domestic tourists from Karnataka and Rajasthan were rescued from drowning off Goa’s beaches over the weekend, even as Drishti Marine lifesavers, also helped apprehend a thief attempting to steal a beachgoer’s belongings. 

The first rescue incident was reported off Morjim beach, where a 19-year-old male resident from Bengaluru found himself in deep waters and was struggling to swim. Two members of the public, a foreigner and a local, rushed to the young man’s aid. Drishti Marine lifesavers, Rupesh, Vikas, Raghvendra, Laxman, Ashwin and Sudesh, witnessed the commotion in the water and reacted quickly with the help of a rescue tube and surfboard.  

After the rescue, the person was administered first-aid, including clearing the victim's airway and providing oxygen, before lifesavers handed him over to emergency services for further medical attention.

At Baga beach, a 28-year-old resident of Rajasthan was having difficulty breathing while he was in the sea. On-duty Drishti Marine lifesavers, Babaji Gaonkar and Darshan Phate rushed into the water using a rescue tube and brought the man back to shore. He was later administered CPR which brought his vitals back to normal and was subsequently rushed to the Candolim Health Centre where he was given further treatment.

Meanwhile, at Varca beach, a 28-year-old man from Mangalore fainted shortly after exiting the sea. Lifesavers quickly assessed the situation, ensuring the victim's airway was clear and providing him with oxygen. The individual recovered and after monitoring his condition, lifesavers safely transported him to a nearby medical facility.

Drishti Marine lifesavers are not only first responders to beach-related emergencies, but they also play an important role in discovering and recovering stolen belongings in cases of beach theft. 

At Colva beach, Drishti Marine lifesavers witnessed suspicious activity involving a man attempting to steal a beachgoer's belongings. The lifesavers quickly rushed to the location with the help of a jeep to thwart the attempted theft. He was later handed over to the police and for further questioning. 

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702 persons rescued along Goa’s beaches in 2023 of which 469 were water-based rescues

Panaji, January 2024: Over 700 persons were rescued along Goa’s beaches of which 469 were saved from drowning by lifesavers off Goa’s coastline and two major water bodies in the state over the last calendar year 2023. Calangute beach reported the most number of incidents in the same period, according to statistics shared by Drishti Marine, Goa's state-appointed lifesaving and rescue agency. 
Of the 469 water-based rescue incidents, 397 were Indian nationals, including residents of Goa, while 72 foreigners were rescued in 2023.

In addition, to 469 rescues conducted, 165 individuals were assisted to safety by lifesavers, who also administered critical first-aid to 68 persons in 2023.

The month of October, which marks the formal beginning of Goa’s tourism season, witnessed the highest rescues, with 133 rescues reported in the month, followed by 70 in November and 52 in December last year, according to statistics. 

Of the several incidents that take places off the coast which includes water based rescues, medical emergencies, assisted to safety, first persons in the age bracket of 12 years and below accounted for 178 incidents, the highest number of incidents across various age categories while the age group of 19 to 25 years accounted for 175 incidents and 35 to 45 years accounted for 165 incidents. 

Drishti Marine’s lifesavers are the first responder to any medical emergencies which arise on the state’s coast. In the year 2023,  first-aid was administered to 68 individuals across the designated beaches where lifesavers are deployed. Unfortunately, all through 2023, six persons also succumbed to the waters.

“From January to December, there were 165 cases of missing children, where young ones wandered away from their families, forcing frantic parents and family members to reach out to the lifesavers for help, Drishti Marine’s alert team has successfully closed all reported missing children cases, reuniting them with their parents,” Awasthi said. 

Like in 2022, Calangute beach witnessed the highest rescue number of incidents in 2023 with 213 incidents, followed by 116 in Baga, 67 in Arambol, while Morjim accounted for 39, Mandrem reported 30 incidents and Candolim accounted for 28. In South Goa, Palolem reported 42 incidents and Colva reported 37 such rescue incidents. 

Drishti Marine began operations in Goa in 2008. A total of 200 drowning deaths had occurred in the previous year, which prompted the state government to take immediate measures and put together an efficient system to curb drowning-related deaths.  

The lifesaving service has led to a 99 percent reduction in deaths due to drowning and significantly improved the tourist experience in Goa. Over 7000 lives have been saved since then, due to intervention and rescue operations by Drishti Marine’s lifesavers. 

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13 rescues along Goa coastline over long New Year weekend`

Panaji, January 2024: Thirteen persons were rescued off Goa’s beaches over the extended New Year weekend, even as six missing children were traced during the same period. 

There were five double rescues reported over the weekend, in addition to six first-aid emergencies addressed by Drishti Marine lifesavers across Goa’s coastal belt. 

At Vagator, three young boys were playing in the water when two ventured into the deeper sections of the sea. Three Drishti Marine lifesavers, Babaji Naik, Sunny Narvekar and Sandeep Parab rushed into the deep and secured the boys back to shore. Their parents were subsequently informed about the incident. 

At Morjim beach, two men from Gujarat, both aged 29 years, went swimming after beach closure hours, ignoring announcements made by patrolling lifesavers and started to drown. Drishti Marine lifesavers, Amon Salgaonkar and Rupesh Kerkar secured the two using a surfboard and jetski.

Palolem beach reported a kayaking mishap involving a middle-aged couple. Drishti Marine lifesaver on duty, Sachin Kirloskar rushed into the water using the jetski and safely secured the couple. Two youngsters from Karnataka were caught in a rough current off Cabo De Rama beach. Unable to swim, they called for assistance. Drishti Marine lifesavers Satyawan Velip and Shanta Velip rescued the duo. 

Lifesavers Rahul Shirodkar and Manish Narvekar were involved in the rescue of two male residents of Uttar Pradesh at Anjuna beach.

Drishti Marine lifesaver Rajat Vaiginkar at Baga beach was called into action to save a 22-year-old resident of Rajasthan who was struggling to swim, after he accompanied his seven to eight other companions into deep water. Examination of the individual’s vitals after his rescue revealed that he was intoxicated. 

At Anjuna beach, a 34-year-old resident of Karnataka was intoxicated and slipped into the water. An on-duty lifesaver brought the man back to shore. CPR was administered in order to clear his airway, as he was unable to talk. He was subsequently handed over to emergency services for further examination. Arossim beach also reported the rescue of a man from Punjab aged 27 years.

Drishi Marine lifesavers were involved in six first-aid and medical emergencies across Goa’s coastline. At Palolem, a man from Karnataka, aged 62 years, who was experiencing breathing difficulties, was brought back to shore and administered CPR to clear his airway. He was later handed over to emergency services once his vitals returned to normal. Similarly, at Cavelossim, a senior citizen was experiencing similar breathing difficulties, after which Drishti Marine lifesavers cleared his airway and handed him over to emergency services for further treatment. At Calangute, a 27-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh who was intoxicated, was struggling in knee-level water. On noticing her discomfort, a lifesaver rushed to her assistance and found her breathing abnormally. The lifesaver quickly cleared her airway and called emergency services. She was rushed to the nearest healthcare centre where she was given further treatment.

A 59-year-old resident of Rajasthan was administered first-aid when she twisted her leg at Sinquerim beach. At Baga beach, a man was administered first-aid when he suffered lacerations from contact with a nearby boat. At Benaulim beach, a man from Mumbai, aged 21 years, suffered a deep gash after slipping into the water. He was immediately administered first-aid.

Drishti Marine lifesavers were called into action at Benaulim beach, when a man approached the lifesaving tower to report his missing wife. After a brief search, the woman was located some distance away. There were also six other cases of children who were missing and reunited with their parents at Baga, Calangute and Cavelossim beaches. 

A thief was also handed over to the police after he was caught stealing a bag from a hotel guest at Colva beach.

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Three Rescued from Drowning off Goa beaches over Christmas Weekend

Panaji, December 2023: Lifesavers posted along Goa’s coastline rescued three persons from drowning over the busy Christmas weekend, which also witnessed a double rescue operation at Sinquerim beach.

At Miramar beach, a lifesaver rushed to the aid of a woman from Hyderabad, who had ventured deep into the sea. A Drishti Marine lifesaver secured the woman with the help of her husband who was onshore and brought her back to safety.

At Sinquerim beach, a group of four tourists from Nashik ventured into the water, when two of them started struggling to cope with the depth. Shubham, a Drishti Marine lifesaver on-duty, rushed in with a rescue tube and brought the pair back to shore.

Drishti Marine lifesavers attended three medical emergencies at Arambol, Palolem and Candolim beaches. At Arambol, a 31-year-old man from Hyderabad had dislocated his leg when he got into the water. Drishti Marine lifesavers, Dattaram, Manoj, Privyesh and Namdev, administered first-aid and handed him over to emergency services.

At Palolem beach, lifesavers had to work quickly to save a girl who was vomiting profusely and unable to breathe. The Drishti Marine lifesaver quickly administered CPR and cleared her airway. The girl was then transferred to the nearest health centre in the Drishti Marine jeep, which is stationed on the beach for emergency situations.

A 65-year-old foreigner at Candolim experienced respiratory difficulties. Following a thorough examination, Drishti Marine Lifesavers discovered he had asthma. They immediately requested for an asthma pump from his wife, who was a distance away. The owner of a shack, where the foreign national was present, transferred him to the nearest health care centre for a further check up.

There were three instances of missing children who were traced at Baga and Colva beaches. The youngest was a three-year-old and the oldest was eight years old. On receiving information from the parents about their missing children, Drishti Marine lifesavers quickly reunited the children with their parents after a search operation was conducted with the help of a jeep and PA system

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