A search is ongoing for a missing teenager at Llandudno in Cape Town

At 15h44, Wednesday, 9 August, NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Bakoven duty crews were activated by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) following eye-witness reports of a male teenager caught in rip currents after being swept off rocks on the shoreline below the Llandudno Sandy Bay parking area.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene while NSRI rescue craft were launched and the SA Police Services and WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance were activated.

EMS Metro Control activated the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter.

The CoCT water rescue network was alerted and CoCT (City of Cape Town) Law Enforcement responded to assist.

On arrival on the scene an extensive search commenced for a 17 year old local male who was last seen in heavy sea surf approximately 300 to 400 meters off-shore.

It appears he had been in shallow surf on rocks on the shoreline with friends when reportedly a wave may have swept him off his feet and we believe he had attempted to swim with sea currents to escape the rocky shoreline.

Despite an extensive sea, air and shoreline search there remained no sign of the teenager.

The Police Dive Unit was activated and accompanied by the EMS rescue squad drone unit, Hout Bay Police and NSRI, an extensive search using a rescue drone, with a FLIR (Thermal Imaging Camera Technology), and shoreline patrols was continued into the night but there remains no sign of the missing teenager.

The Police Dive Unit, assisted by EMS rescue squad and emergency services, are continuing in an ongoing search operation.

Thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing teenager in this difficult time.