Man missing - Bantry Bay

At 12h21, Thursday, 24 February, NSRI Bakoven duty crew and NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Saunders Rocks, Bantry Bay.

Gal Chiles, NSRI Table Bay duty coxswain, said:

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network was activated by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre).

NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Table Bay rescue swimmers, CoCT Law Enforcement, SAPS (SA Police Services), CoCT lifeguards, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services, WC Government Health EMS and Cape Town Traffic Services responded.

The NSRI Table Bay sea rescue craft Spirit of Day was launched and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services rescue divers launched their Fire rescue craft.

It was determined that a local man, age 43, had disappeared under water after reportedly jumping into the water from rocks in an attempt to assist a rock angler to retrieve a fishing rod that had fallen into the water from the rocks.

Reportedly the man disappeared under water shortly after jumping into the water.

Bystanders raised the alarm and we believe that a bystander had grabbed the NSRI pink rescue buoy, stationed at Saunders Rocks, to try to help, but the man had already disappeared under water.

An extensive sea and shoreline search revealed no sign of the missing man.

Police have opened an investigation.

On Friday Police divers launched a Police boat in an ongoing search operation.

Police divers conducted a scuba dive search and shoreline patrols, assisted by a Police Air Wing helicopter conducting an air search along the shoreline and off-shore.

SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services - Cape Town, are continuing in an ongoing search operation.