Cape Town - One teenager is missing at sea and another has been reported dead after the pair got into difficulty in the surf line at Strand Beach.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said a police diving unit was still searching for one of the teens. According to the rescue organisation the teens – aged 17 and 16 years old – were reported missing on Saturday at about 7.06pm.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “NSRI Gordon’s Bay duty crew was activated following calls received by GB Med Sec ambulance services and by the CoCT (City of Cape Town) 107 emergency room of two people in difficulty in the surf line at Strand Beach near to Strand Beach Lifesaving Club.
“The CoCT Water Rescue Network was activated to the drowning in progress, and the NSRI Gordon’s Bay crew responded to our NSRI rescue station at Gordons Bay Harbour and launched the sea rescue craft Rescue 9 Bravo.”
Lambinon said law enforcement marine officers reported arriving on the scene where witnesses confirmed that two youngsters were missing in the water.
Lambinon said NSRI rescue swimmers, SAPS, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad, law enforcement marine officers and Strand neighbourhood watch members also responded to the scene.
“On their arrival, a sea and shoreline search commenced for the two male teenagers. NSRI rescue swimmers initiated sweeping-line free-dive search efforts while the NSRI rescue craft searched through the wave lines. Emergency services on the shoreline conducted shoreline search efforts.
“A group of members of the public 300m down the beachfront came across one of the missing teenagers in the shallow surf.
“NSRI rescue swimmers and GB Med Sec paramedics assisted in the recovery of the teenager on to the beach where CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) efforts commenced, but sadly despite CPR efforts the 16-year-old boy from Delft was declared deceased,” Lambinon said.
Shortly afterwards, the police dive unit was activated by Western Cape police control. Eleven NSRI rescue swimmers formed a sweeping line search in the surf line to search further down the beach and then to search back towards where the incident had originally been reported.
However, despite an extensive search, the other teen, also from Delft, was not found.
According to the NSRI, the boys were believed to be friends who were swimming together before both were caught in rip currents.
Lambinon said police and the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services had taken the body of the 16-year-old teen into custody.
“Police have opened an inquest docket for investigation. Our sincere condolences go to the family and friends of the deceased teenager, and our thoughts are with the family of the missing teenager in this difficult time,” he said.
Meanwhile, police divers and local police will continue their search for the other missing teen.
NSRI Gordons Bay,a law enforcement marine unit, GB Med Sec ambulance services, Western Cape Government Health EMS and local neighbourhood watch members will assist police divers in their ongoing search on Sunday.
“Strand Surf Lifesaving lifeguards have also been activated to keep a lookout during their normal duty hours at Strand Beach. We are appealing to the public to only swim where and when lifeguards are on duty and swim between the red and yellow flagged safe demarcated swimming zone posted by lifeguards,” Lambinon said.