Authorities are urging extra caution at local beaches
following multiple drowning incidents in recent days. Officials say changing
surf conditions, strong rip currents, and overcrowded shorelines are increasing
the risk for swimmers.
Two fatal drowning incidents were reported on New Year’s
Day. A 38-year-old man drowned at Strand Beach. Meanwhile, at Langebaan main
beach, a 26-year-old Burundian national had reportedly been floating lifeless in
the water by a kite-boarder, who had recovered the man to the beach, where a
doctor, from Germany, a fellow kite-boarder, had initiated CPR
‘’Paramedics continued with extensive CPR efforts but after
all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted sadly he was declared
deceased. The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of Police
and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. An Inquest docket has been
opened by Police. The circumstances leading to the incident have not been
determined,’’ said Nic Stevens, NSRI Mykonos station commander.
Non-fatal drownings were also reported.
On Thursday, a teenager was rescued from the water at
Leisure Isle, Knysna. The 13-year-old boy
‘’The teenager, believed to be a local, appears to have
suffered a medical condition while swimming. Lifeguards noticed the teenager
appearing to be in distress in the water and they immediately raised the alarm
while responding and they rescued the teenager to the shore where they
commenced with CPR,’’ said Jerome Simonis, NSRI Knysna Station Commander.
In Hermanus, an adult male was rescued after he was caught
in rip currents at Grotto Beach. Few hours later, in a separate incident, an 18
year old man, from Helderstroom, was located on the beach suffering non-fatal
drowning symptoms.
‘’NSRI and lifeguards assisted to secure the teenager into
a Stokes basket stretcher and he was carried across the beach to a waiting
ambulance. The teenager was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a
stable condition,’’ said Mark McLagan, NSRI Hermanus coxswain.
Three incidents were also reported in Plettenberg
Bay. On friday, a 16-year-old from Pietermaritzburg rescued a 56 year old man from the waters
at Natures Valley Beach
‘’The bystander Good Samaritan had used an NSRI pink rescue
buoy to successfully rescue the man from the water. They were in shallow surf
and nearly ashore. NSRI medics attended at the scene where the man was found to
not be injured and he required no further assistance,’’ said Jaco Kruger, NSRI
Plettenberg Bay station commander.
At Natures Valley Lagoon, a 7-year-old boy, from Crags, were
rescued following a drowning
‘’The child was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and
he was transported to hospital, accompanied by his dad, by Metro EMS ambulance,
in a stable condition where he remains in hospital in the care of doctors and
nurses in a stable condition,’’ said Kruger.
Meanwhile, On Wednesday, two men, aged 24, from
Johannesburg, had been rescued from the water following reports of a drowning
in progress at Robberg Beach, by a bystander Good Samaritan using an NSRI pink
rescue buoy.
‘’The Good Samaritan had left the beach before NSRI arrived
on the scene. The 2 casualties were not injured. NSRI commend the unidentified
Good Samaritan for his efforts,’’ concluded Kruger
Done by: Mitchum George