Cape Town - Police divers have recovered the body of a teenager who went missing in the surf while swimming at Victoria Bay in George at the weekend.

According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services recovered the body, believed to be that of the 17-year-old, on Tuesday afternoon.

The unit was working in conjunction with the NSRI Wilderness Search and Rescue and other emergency rescue teams to locate the bodies of the missing teen and his 20-year-old friend.

The two friends, who were part of a group of six, went missing on Saturday afternoon when they became caught in a rip current.

A statement released by the NSRI on Sunday indicated that an extensive sea and shoreline search was initiated by rescue agencies in an attempt to locate the pair to no avail.

On Tuesday things took a turn when police received a call from a beach-goer, who relayed that they had come across a body.

Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, said: “A member of the public alerted the authorities after the body washed out on the beach.

“We believe that the body is that of a 17-year-old boy who had drowned on Saturday.

“The body was retrieved by SAPS divers at Wilderness Beach at about 6pm. Initially, police had opened an enquiry docket following the disappearance of the two men on Victoria Bay on Saturday.

“However, the enquiry will now change to an inquest, following the discovery of the body.”

In an article by the George Herald, the 17-year-old teen was identified as Xhanti Salmani and the 20-year-old as Sanele Adonis.

The Cape Argus reached out to the Municipality of George for comment but was declined yesterday.

Pertaining to the search for the 20-year-old, Pojie said the SAPS was supported by the NSRI in continuing the search.

nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za

Cape Argus