The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) reported that three people got into difficulty while swimming at two beaches on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast on Saturday, resulting in two fatal drownings while the search continues for a missing man.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said police divers, Police K9 Search and Rescue, assisted by lifeguards, are continuing a search for a man who went missing in the surf at Margate on Saturday.
Incident at Margate
Detailing the incidents, he said at approximately 4.12pm on Saturday, the NSRI Shelly Beach duty crew was activated following multiple reports of a drowning in progress at Margate Pier.
Eyewitnesses reported a male and a female caught in rip currents, he said.
He said Simunye Lifeguard Services lifeguards, authorities of the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, NSRI Shelly Beach rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services, Trauma 911 ambulance services, and Netcare 911 ambulance services responded.
“An unidentified bystander, a Good Samaritan, reportedly entered the water and rescued an adult female from the water, bringing her to the beach,” said Lambinon.
Lambinon said the Good Samaritan had gone back into the water to try to rescue the man but retreated in rough seas during the spring high tide. “He was not injured, and he is commended for his efforts.”
He said lifeguards entered the water, and a search commenced for the man who had disappeared underwater.
“Two NSRI Port Edward crewmen, a father and son, who happened to be nearby at the time, noticed the commotion and went to the beach where they assisted a lifeguard conducting CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts on the female and were joined by paramedics.”
According to Lambinon, after all efforts to resuscitate the female were exhausted, the woman was declared deceased, and despite an extensive search, there remain no signs of the missing man.
NSRI commended the local fishing community for assisting on the scene.
“The body of the deceased woman has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services,” he said, adding that police have opened an inquest docket.
Incident at Palm Beach
Meanwhile, at a different beach earlier at approximately 3.31pm, NSRI Shelly Beach was alerted to a drowning at Palm Beach.
He said KZN Private Ambulance, Medevac ambulance services, the SA Police Services, and GP Security responded.
“The casualty was reported to be out of the water. Misalinx armed response officers arrived on the scene and found a man unresponsive on the beach. Sadly, the adult male was declared deceased. The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.”
Lambinon stated that police have opened an inquest docket.
NSRI offered condolences to the family and friends of both deceased. “All thoughts, care, and compassion are with the family and friends of the missing man.”
What are rip currents?
Rip currents, according to the NSRI, can develop where there are breaking waves. Bigger waves tend to produce stronger currents. These currents are formed by water moving from the beach back out to sea.
Rip currents tend to move slowly enough to barely be detected. If the right circumstances arise in terms of waves and beach profile, the currents can move at speeds of up to two metres per second.
How to spot a rip Current
- The NSRI provided the following tips for beachgoers to recognise a rip current:
- A change in the incoming pattern of waves (often the waves are not breaking in a rip channel);
- Water through a surf zone that is a different colour to the surrounding water;
- Turbulent or choppy water in the surf zone in a channel or river-like shape flowing away from the beach; and
- Seaweed, sand ‘clouds’ or debris moving out to the backline where waves are forming through the surf zone.