Skipper Perry saves wife from Kanaal: « A heroic act? I just did my civil obligation » (Brussels)

The Dutch skipper Perry Rijnberg was docked in Brussels on Saturday to unload his load of sand, until he saw someone swim in the water in the corner of the eye. « It sometimes happens that young people dive into the water, so I was not worried at first. But on the other side of the canal I heard different people call and point to the person in the water, and only then did I realize that they were in a panic. I stopped my activities and immediately went to look. »

There Perry saw a woman who was struggling in the water and was clear in need. « She tried to pull herself up on a step in the water, but that was about 30 centimeters above the waterline. I also saw that the woman was sitting through her best forces and that she would never be able to bring herself to safety. I immediately called to my wife that she had to get a lifebuoy and went into the water. »

Perry swam to the woman and then tried to push them upstairs. « But the woman no longer had strength in her arms and she didn’t succeed. I then placed the buoy under her buttocks, held myself on the stairs and at the same time kept her above water. »

Read too. Skipper saves wife from Brussels channel: « a heroic act »

In the meantime it was waiting for the emergency services. « The first ten minutes I was able to keep her well, but then I got hard. I also felt that the woman was struggling and so it became heavier to keep her above water. She also started gagging and foam came on her lips, » says Perry.

“Moreover, the quay was about five meters high, so I absolutely did not see what was happening above me. At one point I saw two divers from the Brussels fire brigade and at that moment it really went very fast. A diver took care of the woman, the other diver could give me a push so that I could get back on the dry of the water then. Take and rinse my mouth for the dirty water of the canal. « 

Retina

The realization that he had saved the woman’s life came to Perry later. « I showered, ate something and went back to work. Only then did the realization that the woman had not made it without help from outside and that she escaped death. I have heard nothing of her anymore, but I am just glad she did not die before my eyes. Such a image would be roasted on my retvent for the rest of my life. »

Heroic act

The Brussels fire brigade describes Perry’s reaction as a heroic act. « It doesn’t feel that way, » says Perry sober. « I just did my civil obligation and would do exactly the same in the future. In the training for skipper, I was given a first aid course and rescue swimming at the age of sixteen and that absolutely helped I once had to save a sailor that had gone overboard, but that was a much simpler rescue operation than this. »

However, Perry does not understand why the staircase is placed about 30 centimeters above the water surface. « Those steps are great if you have to go from your ship to the quay and vice versa. But if you fall into the water, then those steps offer absolutely no rescue. I also had to get a push from the diver to get out of it. They are just too high. Hopefully something will be done about it in the future. »