The bustling Eastern Cape holiday town of Kenton-On-Sea was struck by tragedy on New Year's Day when three young girls between the ages of 10 and 14 drowned.
A nine year-old boy is missing and is also presumed to have drowned.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon says that shortly before 6 pm, NSRI Port Alfred was alerted to a drowning in progress at Kenton-On-Sea, at the Kariega Main Beach.
Two young girls had been washed onto the beach where a bystander's CPR efforts were in progress when the NSRI arrived.
Umhlanga and Durban lifeguards who are on holiday at Kenton, also assisted on the scene where extensive CPR continued on both drowning victims.
Lambinon say that while on the scene, it was noticed that another young girl was in difficulty in the surf.
NSRI Port Alfred rescue swimmers recovered the girl from the sea and also commenced CPR efforts on her.
After all efforts to resuscitate the 3 victims were exhausted they were sadly declared deceased.
Local residents then confirmed that a nine year-old boy was missing in the surf.
A search revealed no sign of the child and an ongoing search and recovery operation is being coordinated.
Meanwhile: An eight year-old girl has drowned at the Great Brak River Mouth near Mossel Bay.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Lauriane Botha, says the child was with her family at the packed beach at Suiderkuis on New Year's Day.
Her family started searching for her when beachgoers found her body in the estuary and retrieved it from the water at around 5 pm.
Emergency personnel performed CPR for more than an hour before she was declared dead on the scene.
Great Brak River police have opened an inquest docket.
