Narrow escape for 2 brothers

2008-01-14 07:26

Arisja Jacobs

Secunda - Two young boys, Flippie and Alastair Rosslee, spent New Year's Day thanking their lucky stars after two narrow escapes.

The two, aged 15 and 10, nearly drowned off Oranjemund on December 30.

When they did manage to struggle to shore - illegally on the Namibian side - an American pit bull charged at them, before its owner pulled it away.

Secunda business couple Johan and Serene Rosslee and members of their family were holidaying together at the mouth of the Orange River.

The group spent the week between Christmas and New Year camping at Alexander Bay, on the Namaqualand coast of the Northern Cape.

'It was sudden'

Flippie, Alastair and their cousin, Pieter Kriek, were playing in shallow water at the river mouth.

Johan Rosslee said: "It was so sudden. One minute, they were in the water while everyone was getting ready for a family photo, and, the next moment, the boys had been swept away by a strong current."

Both boys are very fit

"Pieter managed to struggle back, but within seconds my two sons were swept under by waves at the river mouth. I could just stand and stare, because the current was too strong."

Flippie held on to Alastair's hand for dear life. He managed to push his little brother towards the northern shore, bit by bit.

"I think they both managed to survive because they're good wrestlers and very fit," said Johan.

Flippie said wryly about his heroic efforts: "My father would have killed me if I hadn't helped my little brother."

Dead tired and shaking with fright, the boys managed to make it to the Namibian shore, where an aggressive American pit bull terrier awaited them.

"We watched helplessly as the dog charged Alastair. Luckily, the owner jerked the dog away in time."

Using sign language, Johan signalled to the boys to seek help from some campers, about 200m up the river bank.

Johan said: "There we were, with the dilemma of our boys being in a foreign land illegally and without a passport.

"It was a long way from the nearest border post. How does one explain it? The river was too strong to swim through, and there was no bridge."

Came back by boat

A camper, known to the Rosslees only as Skalla, quickly solved the problem.

A few Namibian lifeguards, who were on duty, took the boys back to their parents by speedboat.

Johan said: "We heard that a 19-year-old man had drowned at that spot four days before the incident.

"Just thinking of having to return home without my boys makes me choke. We can't express enough thanks that our children are still alive."

- Beeld