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Cape Town – A 17-year-old teenager and a man in his late 20s have drowned in separate incidents on Sunday afternoon, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.
The teenager drowned at Strand near Cape Town and the other victim drowned at Kariga River mouth at Kenton-On-Sea in the Eastern Cape.
They both drowned shortly after 16:30.
"The NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew [was] activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority, following reports of a male who disappeared in the surf at Bends on the Beach, Strand Beach.
Strand Surf Lifesaving lifeguards had already initiated a search for the 17-year-old local male, who disappeared underwater from unknown causes shortly after entering the water to swim," NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said.
Lambinon added that, during an air, sea and shoreline search which included the Skymed rescue helicopter, NSRI sea rescue craft, a law enforcement marine unit jet-ski, rescue swimmers and lifeguards, the body of the teenager was located and recovered from the water.
Paramedics conducted extensive resuscitation efforts on the shore.
"But sadly, after all efforts to resuscitate the teenager were exhausted, he [was] declared deceased by paramedics," he said.
"Police have opened an inquest [docket]."
He said trauma counsellors were attending to the family of the boy.
Lambinon added that the man from Port Alfred disappeared underwater while swimming across the river mouth with a friend.
"On arrival on the scene, NSRI Port Alfred rescue swimmers joined lifeguards and a sweeping line free dive search was conducted. During the search efforts, the body of the man was located underwater and recovered and sadly, the man [had] been declared deceased," he said.lice have opened an inquest docket.
