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Monday, 19-January 2004
Former Olympic relay swimmer Scott Cameron swept into action yesterday afternoon, helping rescue a swimmer injured in an accident
at St Kilda Beach, Dunedin.The swimmer,Josh Kennedy(19), of Dunedin, received suspected spinal injuries, and was in "serious but stable"
condition in the Dunedin Hospital intensive care unit last night.Mr Kennedy was believed to have been paralysed, at least initially,
from the shoulders down as a result of the accident. Full details of the accident were not immediately available. However, the man may
have been injured in a "freak accident" when his head struck the bottom while he was diving into the waves, St Kilda Surf Life-saving
Club officials said. Mr Cameron, an off-duty St Kilda volunteer surf life guard, was walking on the beach with a female companion, north of, and
out of sight of the flagged and patrolled area, about 2.15pm. The injured swimmer, believed to be floating in shallow water after the accident,
was helped by nearby family members, and members of the public, including an off-duty policeman, life-saving club officials said. Mr Cameron sprinted
250m for help, returning with surf patrol captain Ryan Craig on a quad rescue bike. Surf patrol staff members and St John Ambulance staff then carried
Mr Kennedy from the beach on a Stokes rescue basket.Mr Craig was back in action again at 6.35pm yesterday, swimming out with a rescue tube to
rescue an 18-year-old male boogie boarder who had been caught in a rip beyond the flagged area.
Wednesday, 21-January 2004
The condition of Josh Kennedy, the 19-year-old injured after jumping through waves at St Kilda beach on Sunday, remains stable.
A spokeswoman for Christchurch's Burwood Hospital said he was in a fairly comfortable condition in the spinal unit.
Back to the "inconspicuous" josh files