Durban - Tragedy marred the start of the New Year as a teenager drowned on the KZN North Coast.
According to Paul Herbst from Medi Response, they received reports of a drowning in the uMvoti River.
“Medi Response Search and rescue division, together with KwaDukuza lifeguards and fire rescue, began searching the area.’
“The body of a 14-year-old male has been located by rescuers and recovered and handed over to the local SAPS.”
According to IPSS Medical Rescue, reports from the scene indicate that the teenager got into difficulty while swimming in a river and disappeared under the water.
In another incident, a KZN teenager drowned while retrieving a soccer ball from a dam on the KZN North Coast.
Dylan Meyrick from IPSS Medical Rescue said reports from scene indicate that a 14 -year-old boy entered the water to retrieve a soccer ball.
“Unfortunately he got into difficulty and disappeared beneath the water.”
Last month, three people drowned in what was reportedly a freak wave at Durban’s North beach.
Among the dead was a 10-year-old boy who had been on an annual beach day trip with his family.
In a statement, eThekwini Municipality said a total of three people drowned on December 17, after being swept out to sea by rip currents.
The city said it took a team of 35 lifeguards to execute a mass rescue effort and another team of paramedics to attend to the more than 100 people involved in the incident.
IOL