Hout Bay – Fatal drowning

NSRI Hout Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Hout Bay Beach.

Geoff Stephens, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said:

The NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue craft Albie Matthews and Tintswalo Phoenix were launched, NSRI Hout Bay rescue swimmers and rescue vehicle, CoCT (City of Cape Town) lifeguards, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and EMS ambulance, CoCT Law Enforcement officers, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, a Police Dive Unit and Hout Bay CCP (Community Crime Prevention), responded.

NSRI Kommetjie duty crew were activated and dispatched their NSRI rescue vehicle, with rescue swimmers, and the NSRI Kommetjie rescue craft Spirit of the Vines responded.

An extensive search commenced for a 13 year old male missing in the surf. The local teenager had been swimming with a friend when he got into difficulty and disappeared under water.

A search included rescue swimmers conducting sweeping line free dive search efforts and lifeguards using Malibu rescue boards while the 3 sea rescue craft searched the surf zone.

During a search the teenager was located and recovered from shallow surf by NSRI rescue swimmers and Police divers.

The teenager was sadly declared deceased on the scene and the body of the teenager has been taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Condolences are conveyed to the family