A 63-year-old couple from Germany were saved by the National Sea Rescue Institute after being swept out to sea in Plettenberg Bay on Friday.

The alarm was raised at 11am when reports were received of a drowning in progress off the Robberg Nature Reserve, said NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander Jaco Kruger.

“Eyewitnesses reported two people being swept out to sea,” he said.

Three sea rescue craft were launched while rescue swimmers drove to the nature reserve and ran to the scene along the hiking trail.

“An NSRI rescue swimmer reached The Island and confirmed that it was a couple being swept out to sea,” said Kruger.

“They had already been swept about 100m across the beach and they were by that stage behind the backline and still in grave danger, caught in rip currents.”

The swimmer grabbed an NSRI pink rescue buoy that is kept at the beach and headed for the couple. In the meantime, the NSRI's Ray Farnham Rescuer reached the couple and pulled them out of the water.

“They were brought safely onto the beach while the rescue swimmer swam back to the shore,” said Kruger.

“The couple, a husband and wife from Germany, both aged 63, were medically assessed by NSRI medics. A doctor, who happened to be on the beach at the time, assisted.

“Both casualties were in satisfactory condition and grateful for being rescued. They were accompanied back to the car park and they required no further assistance.”

TimesLIVE