A man went missing in the surf at Cosy Bay near Bakoven and despite extensive efforts to find him, he remains missing.
Image: Supplied
Emergency services reacted swiftly following reports of a drowning in progress at Cosy Bay, on the picturesque Atlantic Seaboard between Bakoven and Llandudno. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Bakoven duty crew responded urgently, mobilising various rescue units, including the City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network.
According to eyewitnesses, an unidentified male reportedly entered the water, appeared to struggle, and subsequently vanished below the surface. The NSRI Bakoven crew launched their rescue craft, the Gemini Legend, as part of an extensive search operation that included support from NSRI swimmers from Bakoven, Hout Bay, and Table Bay.
Various emergency teams were dispatched to the scene, including an NSRI Hout Bay rescue vehicle, the Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rescue squad, and an EMS Metro Rescue Drone Unit. As the situation developed, the South African Police Services were alerted, and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services placed their divers on standby, ready to assist in the search.
Upon arrival, NSRI rescue swimmers bravely entered the water to conduct free dive searches in an effort to locate the missing man. Meanwhile, surface water search efforts were coordinated by the NSRI rescue craft within and beyond the surf zone. Additional shoreline searches were carried out by NSRI shore crew and CoCT lifeguards, as an aerial search was conducted by the EMS Metro Rescue Drone Unit overhead.
As the search continued, police divers from the Water Policing and Diving Services (WPDS) arrived at the scene, where they discovered personal items, believed to belong to the missing individual, which were subsequently taken into police custody for investigation. Unfortunately, despite the extensive efforts and coordination of numerous agencies, no signs of the man have been found. Ongoing search efforts are being maintained by police divers and the Police Sea Borderline Control.
The police urge anyone with information that could assist in locating the missing man to contact the Camps Bay Police Station at 021 437 8150.