Panaji, May 25 -- A 11-year-old boy and a parasailing instructor were rescued at Varca beach in South Goa, on Saturday, after strong gusts of wind made it difficult for the duo to descend safely.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening, when the minor boy from Hyderabad was parasailing along with an instructor. During their descent, strong winds drove the boat – to which the parasailing gear is tied -- out of control, resulting in the vessel drifting onto the shore, with the two persons and the airborne gear, still stranded in the air.
Immediately sensing the risk, Drishti Marine's lifesavers, along with watersports operators and local residents, rugshed to the stranded duo's rescue. Through a combined effort, they manually hauled the rope connected to the parasail and carefully pulled the airborne apparatus and the two stranded persons, safely groundward.
The entire rescue operation took around half an hour.
Both the 11-year-old boy and the parasailing instructor were brought back safely to the shore.
It may be recalled that the Indian Meteorological Department, in its recent weather advisory had issued a yellow alert, forecasting light to moderate rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms with likely wind speeds of 30 to 40 kmph over Goa's coast until May 26. Drishti Marine has issued an advisory on weather conditions advising beach goers to exercise caution while visiting the coastline.
Drishti Marine Lifesavers and Several Beachgoers Bitten by Stray Dogs on Goa’s Beaches in Last Two Months
Panaji, May 2024: Three on-duty Drishti Marine lifesavers were bitten by stray dogs while patrolling Goa’s beaches in the span of two weeks in May 2024. They received the necessary first aid and medical attention.
On Wednesday (May 22), lifesaver Roshan Patil was bitten by a stray dog on Betalbatim beach while patrolling, and taken to the health centre in Cansaulim for treatment and vaccination.
On Tuesday (May 21), lifesaver Sarvesh Tandial was bitten by a stray dog at Calangute beach, and received the necessary first aid, vaccination and medical treatment for his wounds.
Last weekend, Sashikant Jadhav, Drishti Marine lifesaver and operations manager for the North and South Goa sectors, was bitten thrice by a stray dog while patrolling on an e-cycle at Mandrem beach. He was taken to Asilo District Hospital in Mapusa for necessary vaccination.
Lifesavers also intervened and helped two foreign nationals who were bitten by stray dogs in two separate incidents on Benaulim beach in April 2024. A 35-year-old woman from Russia was bitten by five dogs, saved by Drishti Marine personnel and taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.
A woman from Canada was also chased by a pack of four dogs and bitten on the right thigh. She was administered first aid at the lifeguard tower by lifesaver Cleyton Vaz, who dispersed the dogs. The dog-bite victim was then taken to a nearby hospital for further medical attention.
There have also been other reports of encounters between stray dogs and beachgoers along the coastline recently, particularly in May, with Benaulim and Colva beaches emerging as hotspots for such incidents.
Bollywood actor Rayya Labib sustained bruises and scratches after she was chased by stray dogs last week at Colva beach while holidaying in Goa.
Last week also witnessed a 24-year-old Russian woman being bitten by a pack of stray dogs while cycling on Benaulim beach, and was rescued by nearby fishermen. She was treated for minor injuries sustained during her encounter with stray dogs.
In mid-May, a 24-year-old woman from Loutolim was bitten six to seven times by stray dogs on Benaulim beach, and later taken to the Primary Health Centre in Loutolim, even as a senior citizen at Colva beach was also chased by a pack of stray dogs during his morning run but managed to remain unharmed.
Seven children reunited with their families over rain-drenched weekend along Goa’s coastline
Panaji, May 2024: Seven missing children were traced by Drishti Marine personnel over the weekend, taking the total number of children reunited with their families on Goa’s beaches to 58 since January 2024.
The damp weekend also bore witness to three rescues, including a triple rescue at Palolem beach and three cases of first aid administered to treat various injuries.
There were two separate cases of children reunited with their parents at Calangute beach. A three-year-old girl and nine-year-old boy, both from Karnataka, were found unattended by lifesavers and subsequently reunited with their families.
In another incident at Colva beach, an eight-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl from Quepem were discovered in distress by vigilant lifesavers, who spent nearly one hour searching for their parents. Once identified, the duo were handed over to their family after being taken through appropriate identification protocol by the police.
At Miramar beach, a seven-year-old child was found unattended by a tourist following a rush triggered by the sudden rainfall on Sunday evening. The tourist reported the incident to the patrolling Drishti Marine lifesavers at the lifeguard tower, who reunited the child with her parents.
At Palolem beach, a patrolling lifesaver found a three-year-old Goan boy in distress and reunited him with his mother after making several announcements from their patrol vehicle and the lifeguard tower.
At Baga beach, a man from Kerala reported his daughter missing at the lifeguard tower. After an extensive search, she was located nearly two kilometres from the tower and reunited with her father.
There were three rescue incidents also reported over the weekend. There was a triple rescue incident at Palolem beach, where three women from Karnataka, all college students aged 20, were caught in a rip current and dragged underwater. Lifesaver Amol Paigunkar rescued two with a surfboard and the other by lifesaver Parshuram Tari with a jet ski. They were taken via ambulance to a local hospital and later discharged.
A 29-year-old man from Karnataka faced a leak in his kayak at Palolem beach and in panic, gestured to the lifesaver for aid. Lifesaver Parshuram Tari rushed to the kayaker’s aid with a jet ski and brought him to shore.
At Dudhsagar, a man from Hyderabad and his three-year-old daughter slipped from a rocky area and fell into the water, after which the child began drowning as she was not outfitted in a lifejacket. Lifesaver Vithal Masurkar immediately jumped into the water and brought her to safety. The father, who wore a lifejacket, managed to save himself.
There were also three incidents of administration of first aid reported. A 19-year-old teenager from Kudal faced breathing difficulties after a person jumped on her chest while swimming off Mandrem beach. She was administered oxygen and was shifted to the hospital via a private vehicle as the ambulance services were busy.
Shashikant Jadhav, Drishti Marine lifesaver and operations manager of North and South sector was bitten by a stray dog on Mandrem beach while patrolling the beach on an e-cycle. He went to the hospital for the necessary injections.
A man from Mangalore hit his head on a stationary boat while swimming and sustained a minor head injury. He was administered first aid after coming to the lifeguard tower.
Five children reunited with their families on Goa’s beaches over weekend
Panaji, May 2024: Five children were reunited with their families while vacationing on Goa’s beaches over the weekend, bringing the total number of children reunited with their families across Goa’s beaches to 51 in the first four and a half months of 2024.
A double rescue was also conducted off Baga beach and first aid was administered to two individuals, over the weekend period.
Drishti Marine lifesavers reunited a six-year-old boy from Belgaum with his parents at Varca beach, in South Goa, after being spotted unattended by on-duty lifesavers. The child was handed over to his father, who was also in search of him, after following the identity confirmation protocol.
Baga beach saw three lost children in different incidents reunited with their families over the weekend after identification. A seven-year-old child from Hyderabad, a four-year-old girl from Karnataka and a 10-year-old boy from Goa were handed over to their parents by lifesavers.
At Calangute beach, a seven-year-old boy from Mumbai was also reunited with his parents. The reunion was facilitated with the help of public announcements made by lifesavers Drishti Marine’s from the agency’s official jeep patrolling the beach stretch.
First aid was administered to two adults over the weekend. A 26-year-old woman from Chandigarh who experienced breathing issues after falling into the water was administered oxygen and admitted to the Primary Health Centre, Candolim, after stabilisation. A 26-year-old man who sustained a deep cut on his thumb while swimming was administered first aid and handed over to the care of his friend.
There was a double rescue at Baga beach, where two friends from Bengaluru, aged 20 and 22, were caught in a rip current and rescued by lifesavers Siddesh, Vishal and Sandeep with the help of a rescue board and tube.
Drishti Marine’s ‘Learn to Float’ programme commences for housing societies
Panaji, May 2024: With a steadfast commitment to water safety and determination to prevent incidents of drowning, Drishti Marine, the state-appointed life-saving organisation, has expanded its ongoing free-of-cost ‘Learn to Float’ programme from school campuses to housing enclaves in the coastal state.
Marine Drishti and Coastal Foundation, a Goa-based non-profit organisation focused on marine and coastal conservation, is conducting this programme along with Drishti Lifesaving and Special Rescue Training Academy (SRTA) as delivery partners.
Inspired by the success of the ‘Float to Survive’ campaign in Australia, which demonstrated the effectiveness of teaching basic floating techniques in reducing drowning fatalities, Drishti Marine’s ‘Learn to Float’ programme aims to equip people, mainly children, with essential floating skills to save themselves in emergencies.
“The key to drowning prevention lies in education and preparedness,” emphasised Navin Awasthi, CEO, Drishti Marine. “Through the ‘Learn to Float’, we empower individuals with the skills they need to respond effectively in water-related emergencies, potentially saving lives. Our goal is to instil a culture of water safety within every household in the state.”
To date, the programme was first facilitated for schoolchildren from The Rosary High School, Cujira, and later extended to housing societies like Chamunda Residency in Caranzalem, North Goa and Gogol Hillside Residency in Margao, South Goa. In Calangute, the local panchayat organised the ‘Learn to Float’ initiative at Adamo Hotel and invited children from the surrounding locality to participate. The team plans to conduct several such programmes through the month of May, starting with a batch of Indian Coast Guard Officers’ children at Chikolna in South Goa.
The decision to extend the ‘Learn to Float’ programme to private locations across Goa comes in the wake of recent drowning incidents, especially involving children, reported in the swimming pools of some housing societies and residential enclaves in the state.
Russian Tourist among Five Rescued Off Goa’s Coast Over the Weekend
Panaji, May 6: A Russian was among five individuals rescued off Goa’s coast over the weekend. First-aid was also administered to two persons injured by broken glass pieces strewn on two beaches in South Goa near the water’s edge.
While swimming in deeper waters off Cavelossim beach, two male tourists – a Russian and a Delhi resident aged 37 and 27, respectively – experienced difficulties after getting caught in a rip current. Noticing their distress, Drishti Marine lifesavers Prasad Velip and Nilesh Velip rushed to save them with a rescue tube and rescue board.
A 45-year-old man from Bengaluru was rescued off Palolem beach by lifesavers Ashok Velip and Nilesh Gaonkar, who secured the victim with a rescue board and jetski. The victim had floated out to the deep sea on a surfboard before he fell off it and panicked.
At Morjim beach, a 17-year-old from Karnataka was rescued from drowning by lifesavers Dattaram Chawan and Dinanath Tendel. The victim had waded into the water against the lifesavers’ advice and was secured with a surfboard and jet ski. A teenager from Verna was brought to shore with a rescue tube by vigilant lifesaver Ravichandra Harijan after the person was pulled underwater by rough waves off Velsao beach.
Cuts sustained from broken glass pieces in the water necessitated Drishti Marine’s trained personnel to administer first-aid to a 29-year-old man from Maharashtra and a tourist from Karnataka at Baina and Palolem beaches, respectively.
Both persons were handed over to the care of their respective friends after initial treatment.
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Drishti Marine lifesaver Ananyaa Bath featured on BBC World Service Radio
Panaji, April 2024: A testament to her trailblazing journey as a woman lifesaver, Ananyaa Bath of Drishti Marine, Goa’s state government-appointed professional lifeguard agency, recently featured on the BBC World Service Radio series ‘The Conversation’.
During the episode titled ‘Women saving lives at sea’ hosted by presenter Ella Al-Shamahi, Vivienne Grey, a female lifeguard in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Wales, UK, and Ananyaa spoke about their experiences as women lifeguards.
The podcast episode highlighted the inspirational journey of Ananyaa, who is also a senior instructor at Drishti Marine’s Special Rescue Training Academy (SRTA), as she navigates this unorthodox calling and her contribution to paving the way for more women to take up lifesaving as a profession.
“It was fate that led me to become a lifesaver at Drishti Marine, and once I joined, I never looked back. There is nothing better than the euphoria you feel when you help someone, be it a rescue or administering first-aid. The support I received from my fellow lifesavers has been invaluable, and I want more women to join our ranks,” said Ananyaa.
According to Navin Awasthi, chief executive officer, Drishti Marine, Ananyaa’s appearance on an international platform like BBC World Service Radio is a matter of great pride to Drishti Marine and Goa.
“We are extremely proud of Ananyaa for getting featured on BBC World Service Radio and the heights her hard work and dedication have taken her. We hope many girls and women get inspired by her remarkable journey as a lifesaver and training instructor and take the career paths less travelled, such as lifesaving”, said Awasthi.
Link to the podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5wz8
Two sustain cuts from glass bottles at Baga beach over long weekend
Panaji, April 2024: Two persons, one of them a male tourist, were treated for injuries in two separate incidents at the popular Baga beach by Drishti Marine lifesavers, caused by cuts sustained from glass bottles over the long weekend.
At Baga beach, a 41-year-old man from Mapusa was injured during a scuffle with a tourist. Drishti Marine lifesavers administered first-aid to the injured person at the lifeguard tower on the beach, before he was transferred to the care of medical personnel. The police were notified of the incident.
In another incident at Baga beach, a 36-year-old man from Karnataka was accidentally hit on the head with a glass bottle thrown by another group of tourists swimming nearby, sustaining a cut to his head. Drishti Marine lifesavers administered first-aid and informed the police about the incident.
A woman from Nashik suffered a minor cut to her leg after stepping on a sharp object while wading into the water off Baga beach. Lifesavers provided first-aid and she was subsequently sent to the hospital for further treatment.
A 26-year-old woman from Bardez fell in the water and injured her back at Morjim beach. With a suspected spinal injury, she was rescued by patrolling lifesavers Dattaram Chavan, captain Ketan Nagavekar, supervisor Ragvendra Kaskar, jeep driver Sahadev Narvekar and patrolman Sachin Aarondekar and handed over to the medical personnel.
Two missing children were reunited with their parents and a missing adult was reunited with his friends, during the extended weekend. At Calangute beach, a five-year-old girl from Maharashtra was reported missing, before she was located by a Drishti Marine lifesaver. Her parents were subsequently traced and she was handed over to them after formal identification.
Similarly, a boy from Ponda, separated from his family at Colva beach, was handed over to lifesavers by a concerned beach visitor. The child was later reunited with his parents, who were located by the police after an extensive search at the beach, which was conducted with the help of a Drishti Marine jeep.
A 22-year-old man from Punjab was reported missing to a nearby lifesaver by his two friends, who embarked on a search for him to no avail. However, the man who was reported missing later appeared at the lifeguard tower himself, this time to report his friends missing. The trio was subsequently reunited.
There was a single rescue reported during the weekend at Hollant beach in South Goa. A 22-year-old man from Bengaluru entered deep waters and was unable to swim ashore. He was brought to shore by lifesaver Hanumanta Harijan, who rushed into the water with a surfboard upon hearing his calls for help.
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Union Health Ministry, WHO officials laud Drishti Marine’s Innovative, Prompt Beach Rescue Efforts
~ Drishti Marine demonstrated innovative rescue responses to WHO and Ministry delegates.
~ For faster treatment, establish integrated burn and trauma facilities closer to residential areas, suggests WHO's Dr Yutaro Setoya.
Panaji, February 2024- Goa’s Drishti Marine showcased its innovative beach safety initiatives and use of technology in lifesaving processes, as part of the ‘Strengthening National Programme for Prevention and Management of Trauma and Burn Injuries: Way Forward’ organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) held in North Goa.
The programme focused on management practices for trauma and burn injuries in India and was held at Candolim, on February 26 and 27.
Drishti Marine’s Chief Executive Officer, Navin Awasthi, gave a detailed presentation about the organisation’s operations across 38 beaches in Goa, following which the delegates visited Sinquerim beach for a demonstration of the organisation’s efficacy in responding to emergencies and preventing and treating injuries. The visiting delegates also witnessed a live demonstration of the lifesavers’ prowess at rescuing individuals in the water with the help of critical lifesaving equipment, including a rescue tube, a rescue board and a jet ski.
“The live demonstration of Drishti Marine’s rescue initiatives like the artificial intelligence (AI) bots AURUS, a self-driving robot and TRITON, the AI-powered monitoring system, to assist with drowning rescue operations, and the Paw Squad, our team of Lifesaver dogs, were extremely well received by the delegates,” stated Awasthi.
“Interacting with the lifesavers from Drishti Marine and viewing the live demonstration of the three methods employed to rescue a drowning individual was a great experience. Most importantly, the zeal, enthusiasm and prompt response to help others is what I greatly appreciated about the lifesavers,” said Dr Krishan Kumar, CMO (SAG), DGHS, MoHFW, Government of India, one of the key stakeholders at the meet.
A collaborative effort between MoHFW and WHO, the National Consultation Meeting for Strengthening Trauma and Burn Care, was held as part of the programme aimed to showcase the best practices and discuss the challenges involved in implementing trauma and burn care programmes in different states and union territories in the country.
“Concerning challenges related to the management of trauma and burn injuries in India, there is a need for a more comprehensive prevention network. India boasts excellent but few facilities, hence, there need to be more facilities nearer to residential spaces that are integrated with the health system to provide support at the primary levels,” said Dr Yutaro Setoya, team lead, non-communicable diseases (NCD), WHO India.
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Goa's Drishti Marine Appointed Member of International Lifesaving Federation
~ Drishti Marine joins ranks with US-based American Red Cross, Surf Life Saving, Australia among others, as part of the global lifesavers’ community.
~ International Lifesaving Federation (ILS) is a body with over 130 international lifesaving organisations and federations as members
Panaji, March 2024: Drishti Marine, Goa government-appointed lifesaving agency, was recently appointed a member of the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) organisation, a global certification agency, with more than 130 international lifesaving organisations and federations as its members.
Among the members of the ILS are the UK’s Royal Life Saving Society, US-based American Red Cross and Surf Life Saving Australia and several renowned global organisations. ILS works towards improving water safety, drowning prevention, water rescue, lifesaving and lifeguarding and lifesaving sport.
Karin Obus, ILS Executive Director, has welcomed Marine Drishti and Coastal Foundation, as the latest member of the ILS. The Belgium-headquartered body, Obus said, leads the global effort to reduce injury and death in, on, or around the water.
“Drishti Marine has been at the forefront of saving over 7,000 lives in Goa since 2008. It also has operations in Mumbai. The intervention and rescue operations conducted by our trained personnel, has significantly improved the quality of the tourist experience in the coastal state. We are proud to receive this acceptance in the ILS,” said Navin Awathi, CEO at Drishti Marine.
Appointed by the Government of Goa, Drishti Marine, oversees lifesaving services across 40 beach stretches in Goa with a 450-strong force. Their lifesavers also patrol Dudhsagar waterfalls and Mayem lake as part of their mandate. In Mumbai, a 100-member team monitors six beaches, collaborating closely with Maharashtra Fire Services and Municipal Corporation.
Drishti Marine has pioneered AI integration for beach safety and plans to deploy a ‘Paw Squad’ of trained dogs for rescues. Operational since 2008, the presence of Drishti Marine lifesavers in Goa has resulted in a 99 percent reduction in drowning deaths, despite a surge in tourist arrivals.
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