The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the George Fire and Rescue Services and a Police Diving Unit are still searching for a teen who remains missing in Wilderness.
An 18-year-old man from Ngqamakhwe in the Eastern Cape was last seen in front of Views Hotel, Wilderness on Friday, March 10.
According to the NSRI, the teen was part of a group of university students who were swimming in the area when rip currents may have developed in the surf.
NSRI Wilderness station commander Mike Vonk said while the other students were able to exit the water, one of the young students, a girl aged 22 years old was caught in rip currents, and in an attempt to rescue her, the missing man dived into the water.
Vonk said: “Our NSRI duty crew received a call for assistance on March 10 at about 4.09pm following reports of a drowning in progress in front of Views Hotel, Wilderness. NSRI rescue swimmers, WC Government Health EMS and EMS Rescue, George Fire and Rescue Services and Frontier Medix ambulance services responded.”
Vonk said the NSRI duty crew responded to the NSRI Wilderness rescue station where the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Rotary and Ann Stratford Rescuer was launched.
He said: “A female University student, believed to be 22 from Gauteng, was located by NSRI rescue swimmers past the backline of the waves. She was unresponsive. The rescue swimmers initiated chest compressions while swimming her towards the shore. An NSRI rescue craft recovered her in the mid-surf break and recovered her onto the NSRI rescue craft.”
“With rescue chest compressions continuing to be assisted by the NSRI crew, she was rescued to the beach where CPR efforts were commenced by NSRI medics, paramedics and an off-duty doctor. Meanwhile, the search continued for the male University student, who remained missing in the surf.”
The female patient was transported to a hospital by Frontier Medix ambulance in critical condition where doctors and nurses fought through the night to save her life, Vonk said.
“We later learned that she had sadly passed away during the night after all efforts to save her were exhausted. Condolences are conveyed to the family and friends of the female. Police have opened an Inquest docket.”
On Friday and Saturday, the NSRI said search and rescue officials continued intensively searching along the sea and shoreline for the missing teenager with no luck.
This morning, Sunday, March 12 NSRI Wilderness and George Fire and Rescue Services continued assisting the Police Dive Unit to search for the missing 18-year-old student.
“A Fire and Rescue Services rescue craft, a Police Dive Unit dive boat and 3 NSRI Wilderness rescue craft were launched to search at sea while shore patrols are being conducted,” Vonk said.
