Mangalore: They are the saviours on our beaches which have claimed hundreds of lives so far. They rush to the rescue of drowning people, risking their own lives. They are the Panambur Beach Life Guards.

Mangalore’s prisitine beaches are alluring and luring people. It’s true but many a time the lure of the beach may be fatal and lives lost swept away by the mighty ocean in a matter of a few seconds as friends and families watch helplessly.

It is at such crucial junctures that Life Guards play an indomitable role and plunge into the seas to rescue those drowning in Panambur beach. If the Panambur beach looks good today, then the credit should go to the Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project and the Life Guards is a brain child of this project. Today the downing cases in Panambur beach has reduced to five from 20 a couple of years ago and the credit has to go to the Life Guards.

They have saved over 50 precious lives. At the same time, their heroic efforts have mostly gone unrecognized, laments Yatish Baikampady, Director of the Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project. Yatish is happy about the performance of the young team of 12 who are trained to tackle even the toughest situation. The team has been recognized by the Rashtriya Life Saving Society India (RLSSI) and Surf Life Saving, Australia. Another noteworthy fact is that the Panambur beach has been chosen as the base for lifeguards training in the country, by the RLSSI.

.Yatish even recalls how there have been instances when the Life Guards have to virtually pull someone out, when they are playing dangerously, little aware that they were risking their lives.

Monsoons is tough times for the Life Guards. They are equipped with Jetski, inflatable boats, a jeep, two horses and an ATV to be used in case of emergency. The team is also proud of its two members Sanketh Bengre and Tushanth D Bengre who have represented the nation in various life saving meets.