A Police Dive Unit are continuing in an ongoing search operation, on Sunday, 6 November, for a 17 year old male, from Delft, who remains missing in the surf line at Strand Beach.
Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:
At 19h06, Saturday, 5 November, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following calls received by GB Med Sec ambulance services and by the CoCT (City of Cape Town) 107 emergency room of 2 persons in difficulty in the surf line at Strand Beach near to Strand Beach Lifesaving club.
The CoCT Water Rescue Network was activated to the drowning in progress.
NSRI Gordons Bay responded to our NSRI rescue station at Gordons Bay harbour and launched the sea rescue craft Rescue 9 Bravo.
Law Enforcement Marine officers reported arriving on the scene where they confirmed from eye-witnesses that two youngsters were missing in the water.
NSRI rescue swimmers, SA Police Services, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad, Law Enforcement Marine officers and Strand Neighbourhood Watch members responded.
On arrival on the scene a sea and shoreline search commenced for 2 male teenagers who were reported by eyewitnesses to have be in the water before sight of them was lost.
NSRI rescue swimmers initiated sweeping line free dive search efforts while the NSRI rescue craft searched through the wave lines. Emergency Services on the shoreline conducted shoreline search efforts.
A group of public members, 300 meters down the beachfront, came across one of the missing teenagers in shallow surf. NSRI rescue swimmers and GB Med Sec paramedics assisted in the recovery of the teenager onto the beach where CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts commenced but sadly despite CPR efforts the 16 year old male, from Delft, was declared deceased.
The Police Dive Unit was activated by WC Police Control.
11 NSRI rescue swimmers formed a sweeping line search in the surfline to search further down the beach and then to search back towards where the incident had originally been reported.
Despite an extensive search the 17 year old male, from Delt, remains missing.
It is believed that they are friends and that they were swimming together before both being caught in rip currents.
The body of the 16 year old has been taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
An inquest docket has been opened by Police.
Condolences are conveyed to the family and friends of the deceased teenager.
Police divers and local Police are continuing in an ongoing search for the missing 17 year old.
NSRI Gordons Bay, Law Enforcement Marine Unit, GB Med Sec ambulance services, WC Government Health EMS and local Neighbourhood Watch members will assist Police divers in their ongoing search on Sunday.
Strand Surf Lifesaving lifeguards will keep a look out during their normal duty hours at Strand Beach.
We are appealing to the public to only swim where and when lifeguards are on duty and swim in between the red and yellow flagged safe demarcated swimming zone posted by lifeguards.
Our thoughts are with the family of the missing teenager in this difficult time.
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