Dokano volunteers rescue man from Ghent's Houtdok

Four volunteers from the Dokano social watersports association swiftly rescued a man who had fallen into Ghent's Houtdok on Saturday. The incident occurred when the man, accompanied by three children, fell into the water while attempting to retrieve a ball.

Volunteers Mustafa, Moaiad, Rashid, and Katrine immediately responded, using a rescue buoy to bring the man safely to shore. It was discovered that the man was unable to swim. The volunteers then administered first aid while one of them contacted emergency services.

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Volunteers make a difference every day. Today it happened in a very visible way.

Hans Marly of Dokano highlighted the crucial role of specialized safety training for volunteers. He noted that Mustafa had recently completed a 'Rescue from the Canoe' course, which equipped him and others with skills for handling water emergencies, including dry rescues and proper use of rescue equipment. Marly expressed immense pride in the volunteers' calm and coordinated actions, emphasizing that their preparedness directly contributed to the successful rescue.

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I am incredibly proud of Mustafa, Moaiad, Rashid and Katrine. They remained calm, worked excellently together and acted exactly as we practice during training.