Two participants confirmed dead during Ironman 70.3 event in Mossel Bay

Ironman South Africa has confirmed the deaths of two participants following an event in Mossel Bay over the weekend.

In a post on social media, organisers said two athletes taking part in the IronMan 70.3 have passed away.

"During the swim portion of the event, safety personnel responded to two separate incidents, approximately 15 minutes apart. One athlete was extracted at approximately 400 meters, and the other at around 1,000 meters," the post read.

Each athlete was taken to an extraction point for further medical care before they were rushed to a local hospital for urgent care.

"Our hearts go out to their families, friends and loved ones, and together with the triathlon community we mourn the loss of two fellow athletes.

"We will continue to offer our support to the athletes’ families as they go through this very difficult time," event organisers said.

They further thanked the respective medical teams for their work to provide care for the athletes.

Earlier this year, an athlete died following an IronMan event in Durban. 

At the time, organisers said the athlete went into distress while taking part in the swimming section of the three-part event. 

Cape Times