Trainee lifesavers come to the rescue of boy (From Thisisdorset)

Trainee lifesavers come to the rescue of boy

1:00pm Sunday 19th August 2012 in News By Joanna Codd

TWO international trainee lifesavers had the chance to put their skills into action when they helped rescue a boy at Sandbanks beach in Poole.

Idrissa Ndiaye, from Senegal, and Viraj Ramharai, from Mauritius, were on a rock groyne taking part in a class about beach risk assessments when they spotted the swimmer struggling in the water. The youngster had been swimming in one of the marked zones but had drifted out of his depth.

Although RNLI lifeguards on patrol at Sandbanks were on their way, Idrissa and Viraj were nearest to the boy and jumped from the groyne into the water. They helped to support him until the lifeguards reached him and took him safely ashore.

The pair are among a group of 14 overseas lifesavers who are being put through a rigorous training course by the RNLI to help them save more people from drowning in their home countries.

They and representatives from countries including Cameroon, Uganda, Bangladesh, India, Thailand and the Philippines travelled to the UK to take part in the first-ever future Leaders of Lifesaving course.

They have been learning how to manage and develop their own lifesaving organisations in their own countries and have been based at the RNLI college in Poole.

Around 1.2 million people drown around the world each year. Most of these incidents happen in some of the world’s poorest countries, where lifesaving services are currently poor or non-existent.