Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral
Over the weekend, Drishti Marine lifesavers undertook a series of critical rescue operations across Goa’s coastline and at Dudhsagar waterfalls, saving the lives of sixteen people, including five foreign nationals. The incidents unfolded across multiple beaches, with rip currents, unforeseen wave surges and visitor misjudgment posing significant dangers. At Mandrem beach, lifesavers rescued a Russian couple who had been pulled nearly 100 metres offshore by a rip current, followed by another rescue involving a man from Uttar Pradesh who faced similar difficulties.
Morjim beach witnessed the rescue of a UK tourist dragged around 60 metres into the sea, while at Baga, a tourist from Maharashtra required immediate intervention to return safely to shore. Candolim beach saw a lifesaver assist a 19-year-old from Telangana who struggled to swim back after drifting out.
At Bogmalo, an 11-year-old girl was treated for a jellyfish sting, with lifesavers providing immediate first aid before transferring her to medical care. Another medical emergency unfolded at Velsao beach, where lifesavers assisted a 54-year-old woman who had fallen in shallow water and experienced breathing difficulties, stabilising her until an ambulance arrived. At Betalbatim, two elderly Russian women were caught in a rip current, and despite a language barrier preventing them from responding to warnings, lifesavers swiftly rescued both.
A similar emergency occurred at Benaulim beach where a man from Hyderabad was pulled offshore, prompting a coordinated rescue. At Colva beach, lifesavers traced and reunited a five-year-old boy from Karnataka who had wandered away from his parents, following proper identification protocols.
Further south, at Palolem, a kayak carrying a man and a child capsized 500 metres offshore, and lifesavers responded on a jet ski. At Agonda, a couple swimming outside the safe zone found themselves in danger when the woman was caught in a rip current, prompting a rescue. At Patnem beach, two tourists from Uttarakhand were pulled by strong currents and brought ashore by a lifesaver using a surfboard.
Two separate incidents at Dudhsagar waterfalls involved a three-and-a-half-year-old girl from Kerala and a tourist from Hyderabad, both of whom were rescued after entering deep water without life jackets. These coordinated efforts by Drishti Marine reflect the lifesavers’ unwavering vigilance and their essential role in maintaining safety across Goa’s beaches and water destinations. Their timely interventions, spanning rescues, reunions and emergency first aid, ensured that potential tragedies were averted across multiple high-traffic tourist locations.
