The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed that a 32-year-old man from Cape Town tragically drowned at Dana Bay yesterday.
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As reported by the Mossel Bay Advertiser, NSRI duty crew were activated at 12:24 on Friday, 29 March after an off-duty Fire and Rescue Services officer, who was on the scene, reported a drowning in progress.
In a statement, JC Roos of the NSRI Mossel Bay said that an off-duty lifeguard based at another beach in Mossel Bay also happened to be there and assisted.
Two NSRI rescue craft were launched, including an NSRI rescue vehicle, NSRI rescue swimmers, as well as a Western Cape Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, Mossel Bay Law Enforcement and the South African Police Police (SAPS).
In addition, the SAPS’s Water Policing and Diving Service (WPDS) were also alerted.
According to Roos, one adult male had been rescued and he was not injured. However, another was missing.
The Mossel Bay Advertiser further reports that members of the public spotted the man in the surf zone, to which an NSRI rescue swimmer and Fire and Rescue Services swimmer responded and recovered the man.
After extensive efforts to resuscitate the man, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts by paramedics and NSRI medics, assisted by the Hartenbos Lifesaving guard (who was off-duty and happened to be at the beach), the man was declared deceased.
Roos stated that it appeared that the two men, who were friends from Strand, were on holiday in Mossel Bay with family. They were reportedly fishing on the shore together frm a shallow sand bank when one of the men were swept away in rip currents.
Although his friend tried to save him, he got into difficulty.
The body of the deceased Capetonian was taken into the care of the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services and an inquest docket was opened as per standard procedure.
Also read:
Update: Six missing fishermen found safe, confirms NSRI (capetownetc.com)
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