HEROIC RESCUE

Southland Times, Issue 20791, 4 June 1929, Page 7

HEROIC RESCUE

YOUTH IN SHARK’S JAWS. Conspicuous courage on the part of a South African farmer in rescuing a youth of the same name, but having no relationship, from the attack of a shark has been rewarded by the Royal Humane Society with the Stanhope Gold Medal for the bravest deed of last year. The circumstances were related to a general court sitting in London, under the presidency of Earl Beatty. The central figure in the perilous adventure was Mr Andres Muller Heyns, aged 39, a farmer of Mourthope. On December 28, 1927, he was bathing in about five feet of water at Little Brack Beach, Mossel Bay, South Africa. There were other bathers in the water, among them being several children, Mr Ockardus H. Heyns, a 17-year-old student, and Mr W. A. Gericke. Suddenly Mr Gericke noticed a dark object aprpoaching Ockardus Heyns. He gave a shout of warning, and Ockardus noticing the shadow as well, began swimming toward the shore. But it was too late. To everybody’s horror, the shark was seen to seize Ockardus and drag him some distance out to sea, where he was out of his depth. Mr Gerricke saw the water turn red, and hastened ashore to get a lifeline. Mr A. M. Heyns went straight to the rescue, and never hesitated, although the monster was still circling slowly round the blood-stained patch of water. Although exhausted by his efforts, he dragged Ockardus into shallow water and carried him ashore where it was found that the youth’s left leg had been bitten off above the knee and his right foot completely crushed. He was hurried to Mossel Bay Hospital, but died the same night. The shark which was afterwards caught and killed by local fishermen was 14 feet 7 inches long and weighed 5751 b.