Teenager Drowns at JBay and Rescue at Gordons Bay
A teenager has tragically drowned at Paradise Beach Lagoon in Jeffreys Bay. The local NSRI duty crew were activated at 08h46 following reports of a drowning in progress. The 16-year-old male, from Port Elizabeth, had been playing beach ball with his friends when he slipped into a hole underwater and disappeared. According to Rieghard Janse van […]
A teenager has tragically drowned at Paradise Beach Lagoon in Jeffreys Bay. The local NSRI duty crew were activated at 08h46 following reports of a drowning in progress.
The 16-year-old male, from Port Elizabeth, had been playing beach ball with his friends when he slipped into a hole underwater and disappeared.
According to Rieghard Janse van Rensburg, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander: “Six NSRI Jeffreys Bay rescue swimmers and two Kouga Municipal lifeguards formed a sweeping line free dive search and during the search the body of the teenager was located and recovered.”
The teen was declared deceased on the scene. His mother, father and sister – who were with him – are being assisted by trauma counsellors.
In Rooi Els a man was swept off rocks into the sea this morning. The 49-year-old from Milnerton suffered a seizure and was unconscious, but his injuries were fortunately not fatal. He has been transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
A 4-year-old boy is believed to have drowned at Yzerfontein yesterday afternoon, after apparently being swept out to sea at Pearl Bay during a one-day family outing from Malmesbury. The boy was playing in the water during the rising tide when rip currents are believed to have swept him out to sea. His body has not yet been found.
Another boy – around 9 or 10 – sadly drowned at Wilderness Lagoon yesterday morning. Despite swimming and playing in shallow water, he got into difficulty in a deeper section of the lagoon. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the child but it was too late and he was declared deceased.
In KwaZulu-Natal, popular Durban beachfront has been packed since the beginning of the long weekend on Friday. No serious incidents were reported.
EThekwini Municipality has urged beach visitors to “swim only where you can see a life guard, follow all safety instructions and most importantly, clean up your picnic spots.”
NSRI also advise having the sea rescue emergency number 112 programmed into your phone.