A farewell outing for Grade 9 learners from an Eastern Cape school ended tragically when two learners drowned in the sea at the beach at Hluleka Nature Reserve on the Wild Coast.
Bhisho Education Department spokesperson, Loyiso Pulumani, said on Wednesday that the victims, 15-year-old Someleze Peter and 16-year-old Pheleka Mangqashe, were learners at the Mabece Junior Secondary School in the OR Tambo coastal district.
He said the two, a boy and a girl, were part of a group of 58 learners and 12 adults, including the school principal, who went to the Nature Reserve on Tuesday.
“On arrival at Hluleka game reserve, they reported to the office, where all the learners were given verbal safety instructions. Two qualified lifeguards were allocated to the group to ensure the safety of the learners,” Pulumani said.
“On the beach, lifeguards went into the water, and the learners were instructed to swim between the markers, and not pass the lifeguards, in other words not enter deeper than where the lifeguards were standing.”
“After about an hour, meals were served, and after lunch, the lifeguards went into the water once again, and the same arrangements were made, in other words, stay between the markers, and do not go past the lifeguards,” he said.
“After some time, some of the learners screamed that two learners, Someleze Peter and Pheleka Mangqashe, were in trouble. The lifeguards were struggling to get to the learners and eventually found it impossible to rescue the learners,” said Pulumani.
He said after some time the bodies of the boys were found floating in the water. Pulumani said that the school principal and staff attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, “but it was in vain.”
“Officials of the Department have visited the families of the deceased learners, and are assisting the learners and educators in these trying times.”
Pulumani said Eastern Cape Education MEC Mandla Makupula, on behalf of the entire department, extended his “heartfelt condolences to the families” of the two learners.
