Durban – Tragedy struck on New Year’s Day when four children drowned at a beach in the Eastern Cape.
According to police the children were swept out to sea at Kariega Beach in Kenton-On-Sea at about 5pm on Sunday.
By Monday afternoon, police with assistance from the NSRI and emergency services continued with a search-and-recovery operation for the body of the fourth child.
Provincial police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, said the other three children were certified dead after extensive cardio-pulmonary resuscitation efforts.
“The search for the fourth victim, the 9-year-old boy, is continuing.
“The identities of the three deceased children aged between 11 and 12 years, will be released on completion of the formal identification process. Police have opened inquest dockets for further investigation,” Nkohli said.
∎ In another incident, a KwaZulu-Natal teenager drowned also on New Year’s Day in a river in KZN.
According to IPSS Medical Rescue Services, reports from the scene indicate that the teenager got into difficulty while swimming in the river and disappeared under the water.
The body of the 14-year-old victim was recovered and handed over to the SAPS.
IOL