East London: Teenager drowns in tidal pool

Geoff Mc Gregor, NSRI East London station commander, said:'At 16h00 (Saturday, 14th December) NSRI East London volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a suspected drowning in progress at Leeches Bay, East London.Our NSRI East London volunteer sea rescue duty crew prepared to launch our sea rescue craft and our rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene. The EC Government Health EMS, SA Police Services and a Police Dive Unit also responded.On arrival on-scene it was determined that the suspected drowning accident had happened in the tidal pool and not in the sea as was originally believed.Our NSRI rescue swimmers and Police divers searched the tidal pool and the body of a 14 year old unidentified male was recovered from the tidal pool and brought to shore and declared deceased by paramedics.It appeared that the teenager was alone at the pool as no family or friends came forward to identify him. His body has been handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket and are attempting to locate his family.According to eye-witness reports the teenager may have been jumping from the tidal pool wall into the tidal pool and it is not clear if this was a drowning accident or if he had injured himself when jumping into the tidal pool.'