As the holiday season approaches, another drowning in KZN raises the alarm about beach safety and the importance of swimming in patrolled areas. | Theo Jeptha/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — After learning of two confirmed drownings and a person missing in the water, Lifesaving South Africa has reported another drowning in KwaZulu-Natal.
Lifesaving SA President, Dhaya Sewduth, reported that the incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 4:30 PM during the tail end of a spring high tide cycle at Ansteys Beach on the Bluff.
Sewduth said that a group of five youngsters were swimming at Ansteys in a section of beach which is a non-bathing area when an 18-year-old boy was swept out to sea. According to Sewduth, the eThekwini lifeguards were alerted but when they arrived the boy was submerged and could not be spotted.
Sewduth explained that a search and rescue effort was launched and continued until dark. The search continued on Wednesday. At the time of reporting the body had not been found.
He stated that the SAPS Search and Rescue team assisted the family of the missing youth in filing a case with the police
Sewduth explained that besides the stretch of the beach being unpatrolled, Ansteys Beach has been closed to bathing due to the unsafe water conditions because of high E. coli readings.
He said this sad incident comes on the back of reported drownings at Margate and Shelly Beach on the lower South Coast of KZN over the weekend.
“As the weather warms up, schools close for the year and the holiday season approaches, Lifesaving South Africa calls on beach users to only swim where lifeguards are on duty, during the designated duty hours, and to stay between the red and yellow lifesaving duty flags,” Sewduth said.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, two people were confirmed to have drowned while there was a search for a third victim on the KZN South Coast.
In one incident, a woman drowned while a man remains missing and in another incident, a man drowned.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said police divers, police K9 search and rescue, helped by lifeguards, continue to search for a man who went missing in the surf in Margate on Saturday.
Sadly, a woman who was rescued from the water by a good Samaritan succumbed to her injuries,” Lambinon stated
He said that at 4.12pm on Saturday, the NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew was activated following multiple reports of a drowning in progress at Margate Pier. According to eyewitnesses, a man and a woman were caught in rip currents.
Simunye Lifeguard Services lifeguards, authorities of the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, NSRI Shelly Beach rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services, Trauma 911 ambulance services and Netcare 911 ambulance services responded, he said.
Lambinon said an unidentified Good Samaritan reportedly entered the water and rescued the woman from the water, bringing her to the beach. He returned to the water to try and rescue the man but rough seas forced him back during the Spring high tide.
“He was not injured and he is commended for his efforts,” Lambinon said.
“Lifeguards entered the water and a search commenced for the man who had disappeared underwater.”
Lambinon said two NSRI Port Edward crewmen, a father and son, who were nearby at the time, noticed the commotion and went to the beach where they assisted a lifeguard conducting CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts on the woman and were joined by paramedics.
“After all efforts to resuscitate the female were exhausted, sadly she was declared deceased,” Lambinon said.
He added that despite an extensive search, there remain no signs of the missing man.
“Police divers, Police K9 Search and Rescue, assisted by lifeguards, are continuing in a search for the missing man,” Lambinon said.
He said the woman’s body was taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. Police have opened an inquest docket.
He also commended the local fishing community for helping at the scene.
Lambinon said, “All thoughts, care and compassion, are with the family and friends of the missing man.”
In the second incident, Lambinon said that earlier, at 3.31pm, NSRI Shelly Beach was alerted to a drowning at Palm Beach. The victim was reported to be out of the water.
He said Misalinx armed response officers arrived on the scene and found a man unresponsive on the beach.
KZN Private Ambulance, Medevac ambulance services, the SA Police Services and GP Security responded.
“Sadly the adult male was declared deceased,” Lambinon said.
He said the man’s body was taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services and police have opened an inquest docket.
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