By Lamin B. Darboe
Lives of three Belgian nationals were saved by two Life Guards working at Cocoa Ocean Hotel and a Juice presser on 25th February 2019 at Kasumeh Hotel in Bijilo.
Alieu Mbenga aged 26 and Buba Sidibeh aged 21 all Life guards at Coco Ocean and Modou Saidy working at Kasumeh Hotel were the three young men who saved the lives of Mina Brookaert, Robin Cloots and Lotte Kinds all Belgian nationals while they were swimming at Kasumeh Beach side on Monday at around 5pm.
Speaking to our reporter shortly after the incident, the President of CONTANO NGO (Happiness) based in URR who is the leader, Ms. Rita Vancoillie applauded the efforts of the three young men.
She said the three Belgian nationals are in the country for a three months intensive program at Basse Health Center adding that because of their hard work at the health Center, they were given six days off from work.
According to him, the trio decided to travelled Kombo while on break and decided to at Paradise Suit Hotel.
“Unfortunately for them the first day they arrive in Kombo from Basse, five of the Belgian nationals went to the rive side out of which the said three decided to go for swimming,” she explained.
As they were swimming at Kasumeh beach side Ms. Vancoillie continued, the three Belgian were nearly drowned inside the river thus stating that, due to the braveness of the three young men, they were rescued.
Ms. Vancoillie Commended the three men for saving the lives of his people while also calling on the management of both Kasumeh and Sunbird Beach Bar and Restaurant to put Red Flag and Life Guards in their side of the river.
Explaining how they were able to rescue the three Belgian nationals, Alieu Mbenga said: “While we were around Kasumeh Beach side, we were closely monitoring three Belgian nationals when they were swimming”.
According to him, the other two Belgian nationals who were left at the beach side by the three Belgian nationals did not realize the situation their nationals were.
“After rescuing them from the river, we keep them at recovery position before taking them to Medicare Clinic located at Brufut Turn-Table Junction where they spent three days before they were discharge on Wednesday,” Mbenga told The Voice.
The trio young men informed our reporter that it is only Cocoa Ocean that put inside the river Red Flag while also appealed to the authorities at Kasumeh and Sunbird Beach Bar and Restaurant to put in place Red Flag and Life Guards at their side of the river in order to save the lives people using the place for swimming.