At 14h34 on Wednesday the 1st of May, Strandfontein duty crew were called out by the Transnet National Ports Authority following a request for assistance from City of Cape Town Marine Law Enforcement reporting a drowning in progress of two children in the Monwabisi Tidal Pool.
Mario Fredericks, NSRI Strandfontein station commander, said: “Our Strandfontein volunteers rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and the Red Cross AMS Skymed helicopter, SA Police Services, Law Enforcement, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and WC Government Health EMS responded.
“Marine Law Enforcement officers and Law Enforcement officers had initiated a search in the pool and they located and recovered two nine year old boys from the under water in the tidal pool.
“Both children, not breathing and with no pulse, were brought onto the centre island in the tidal pool where Skymed landed and Law Enforcement officers and EMS paramedics initiated Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts. These efforts were joined by other emergency agencies members as they arrived.
“After extensive efforts to resuscitate the two children were exhausted on-scene they were both declared dead by paramedics.
“The bodies of the two children have been handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.
“Police have opened an inquest docket.
“It appears that 5 boys from Tafelsig, Mitchell’s Plein, were swimming in the tidal pool when the two children disappeared under water. The other three children, a 13 year old brother of one of the victims and another 13 year old and a 7 year old raised the alarm.
“Police have taken the children home and will inform the families and trauma counselors will assist.”
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