Tugela – 9 rescued and 1 girl missing.:    

Quentin Power, NSRI Ballito station commander, said:At approximately 14h30, Sunday, 12th January, NSRI Ballito duty crew were activated following reports of multiple persons being swept out to sea in rip currents in the Tugela area on the Northern Bank .NSRI Ballito, Mandeni Council lifeguards and Police Search and Rescue responded.On our arrival on the scene we found the duty lifeguards had rescued 9 people in the surfline bringing them to shore safely and they were not injured.A girl, aged 5, was confirmed to be missing.Lifeguards had initiated a search for the missing child and on NSRI's arrival we joined the lifeguards in a search.Our Sea Rescue craft Wave Runner 4 was launched and a drift and current analysis was done.Despite an extensive search no sign of the child was found on Sunday.Police continued in an ongoing search operation on Monday.It is believed that a group from Hluluwe were visiting the beach when the incident happened.NSRI could not confirm the ages of the 9 persons rescued by the lifeguards.