Cape Town – A 17-year-old Northern Cape teen died on Wednesday in a drowning at the Clanwilliam Dam.
NSRI lifeguards on duty at the dam’s main swimming area were alerted to a drowning in progress at approximately 2.40pm on Wednesday, December 20.
The drowning occurred a distance away from the lifeguard protected area, on the far side of the dam.
The NSRI said that it appeared that local teenagers and children had gone to the far side dam to cool off when the teenager got into difficulty while swimming and disappeared under the water.
The NSRI lifeguards, Western Cape EMS and the SA Police Services responded. The NSRI said: “On arrival on the scene it was indicated to the lifeguards where the teenager had gone missing under water while swimming.
“The lifeguards launched into the water to free-dive search and they located the teenager under water.”
On bringing the 17-year-old teen to the surface and then swimming the lifeless teenager to the shore, lifeguards initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts.
During CPR efforts, a pulse was restored to the patient who remained in a critical condition and unconscious.
“On EMS paramedics arriving on the scene, medical treatment continued but the patient again went into cardiac arrest and CPR was resumed.
“After all efforts to resuscitate the teenager were exhausted, sadly he was declared deceased,” the NSRI said.
“The body of the teenager was taken into the care of police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. Police have opened an inquest docket.
“Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased teenager.”