A body of 42-year-old man who had gone missing was found at Milnerton Beach in Cape Town. File Photo: NSRI
Image: NSRI
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has confirmed the death of a teenager in the Eastern Cape on Boxing Day following a drowning incident in Jeffreys Bay.
The NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, Kristo Kritzinger said the incident took place just after 10am on Thursday, December 26.
Reports indicate three teenagers wading in shallow surf during an incoming tide when they were caught in rip currents and swept out to sea. Eyewitnesses raised the alarm.
One teenager self-rescued and was not injured while the remaining two teenagers were in difficulties in the surf zone when NSRI and emergency services arrived on the scene.
“NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew was activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Kabeljous River Mouth. Two NSRI rescue crafts were launched, NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI rescue vehicle, Relay EMS ambulance services, and Kouga Law Enforcement responded.
“On arrival on the scene, we found a 13-year-old local male had been rescued from the water by a fisherman (angling from the shoreline) who had cast his fishing line in the direction of the teenager who was able to wrap the fishing line around his wrist before being reeled to shore by the fisherman and he was taken into the care of Relay EMS paramedics,” Kritzinger said.
A second teenager had gone missing in the surf.
“A search was launched for the second teenager, a local male age 19, who was missing in the surf zone. During a search, the teenager was spotted in the water where NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the water to free swim towards the teenager and an NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed from an NSRI rescue craft.
“Together the rescue swimmers recovered the unresponsive teenager to shore where he was sadly declared deceased by paramedics and a doctor,” Kritzinger said.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) opened an inquest docket.
“The survivor was transported to hospital by Relay EMS ambulance in a serious but stable condition suffering hypothermia and non-fatal drowning symptoms and he is recovering.
“The body of the deceased teenager was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services,” Kritzinger said.
The NSRI also commended the local fisherman for saving the 13-year-old with his fishing rod and reel.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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