New Year’s Day on South Africa’s coastline was marred by a number of serious incidents, including several drownings, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) reported on Monday.
In two separate incidents, an adult male and a 10-week-old girl were declared deceased at Muizenberg beach in Cape Town.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said that at 4:25pm, NSRI Strandfontein medics responded to Muizenberg beach to assist Western Cape Government Health EMS, Life Healthcare response paramedics and CMR (Cape Medical Response) paramedics attending to two incidents.
“An adult male had reportedly been rescued out the water following a suspected drowning and CPR (Cardio Pulmonary resuscitation) efforts were underway,” Lambinon said.
“A 10-week-old child had been brought to authorities on the beach after being found (believed to have been found by her mom in the sand on the beach) and CPR efforts were underway.
“Despite extensive CPR efforts, both patients have been declared deceased on the scene by paramedics after all efforts to resuscitate the patients were exhausted by paramedics and Police have opened inquest dockets in both cases and Forensic Pathology Services have taken the bodies of the deceased into their care.”
In Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal, the sea rescue craft Grindrod Rescuer was dispatched to Naval Island following reports of a local 15-year-old male in difficulty and reported to be drowning.
On arrival on the scene, NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the surf to search and a helicopter assisted in a search and the body was spotted in the water and recovered by NSRI rescue swimmers. Medics performed successful CPR and the patient was transported to hospital, where he was declared dead by doctors
At Monwabisi beach, a 25-year-old male is reportedly missing in the surf, the search continues.
