A teenage boy has died following a drowning incident near Hermanus’ New Harbour on Tuesday afternoon, reports Cape {town} Etc.
According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), rescue crews were activated at 1:27pm after a distress call came from the cliff-path area near the Hermanus New Harbour about a drowning in progress.
Responders from NSRI, CMC ambulance services, ER24 and SAPS arrived to find paramedics performing CPR on the local 17-year-old.
‘On NSRI crew arriving on the scene, we joined paramedics conducting CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts,’ said NSRI Hermanus station commander Edrich Kotze.
According to Kotze, it appeared that the teenager got into difficulty while swimming. Friends of the teenager reportedly carried him up to the cliff path after raising the alarm, where they were met by paramedics who initiated CPR.
‘After all efforts to resuscitate the teenager were exhausted, sadly, he was declared deceased by paramedics,’ he added.
The boy’s body was taken into the care of police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services, and an inquest docket has been opened.
Just hours later, NSRI Kleinmond responded to another emergency, this time involving a young boy at the Kleinmond Lagoon.
The duty crew was activated at 5:20pm following reports from Overstrand Fire and Rescue Services, who were responding to the scene.
‘On arrival on the scene, it was found that a local seven-year-old male was out the water after suffering a non-fatal drowning in the Kleinmond Lagoon,’ said NSRI Kleinmond station commander Schalk Boonzaaier.
The child received medical treatment on scene before being transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition for further medical care.
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Picture: NSRI
