Cape Town - A day at the beach turned to tragedy for a Herolds Bay family when a 50-year-old father drowned trying to save his son from a rip current near the Great Brak river mouth.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has sent their condolences to the man’s family after the incident at De Vette Mossel.
“While spending a day at the beach it appears that the man had launched into the surf to assist their son, who may have been caught in a rip current.
“The son was able to get out of the water, but his dad may then have been caught in a rip current. The man’s wife went into the surf to try to assist her husband.
“We believe that a bystander, a local fisherman, had assisted the wife to recover the man to the beach where CPR was commenced.”
The NSRI said duty crew were stationed at the Mossel Bay rescue station at the time.
"At 2.37pm, Sunday, February 12, NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated following reports from the Police Dive Unit of a drowning in progress at De Vette Mossel, near the Great Brak river mouth.
“The NSRI rescue craft St Blaize Rescuer was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers, By Grace ambulance services, Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services and the SAPS responded directly to the scene.
“On arrival, we found that a 50-year-old man, from Herolds Bay, had been recovered from the water and bystander CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were in progress.
“NSRI medics assisted in CPR efforts and were joined by paramedics. After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly he was declared deceased.
“Condolences were conveyed to the family of the deceased man,” the NSRI said.
The man’s body was taken into the care of police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
The police have opened an inquest docket.
Cape Times