November 2024

We have just recently received reports from the lifeguards detailing some examples of their numerous rescues. Over the next few days I will continue to upload stories from a few of our lifeguards. In March, our lifeguards rescued the crew of a ship that sank offshore at Coco Beach. We now have the account of three of the lifeguards involved in this rescue, whose names are Willam James Mambonike, James (Jimmy) Chacha and Fidelis Mongella. Here is their story:

"At around 3:30 in the afternoon, we noticed a boat with a red bottom in trouble. A lot of people were talking about it but no one could really do anything. A few of us from the lifeguards team rushed together to make a plan. We were still waiting for our equipment so we only had one rescue board. One of our colleagues took the rescue and rushed ahead. The rest of us used one of my rubber paddle boats (my other business is to rent them out) to try to get to the boat. The three of us paddled for 30 minutes, the sea was really rough and we had to take turns jumping out and pushing the rubber boat. But the time we got the boat in trouble, most of it was submerged. But my brother lifeguard had all nine people from the boat on his rescue board and we saved every single person that day. The Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam came to thank us for our efforts."