Body of Missing Man Recovered Near Strandfontein, Linked to Sunrise Beach Incident

UPDATE - SUNRISE BEACH: The body of a man who was reported missing and suspected to be a case related to what was thought to be a female missing in the surf zone at Sunrise Beach, on Monday, was located and recovered on Saturday morning.

At 07h56, Saturday, 16 November, NSRI Strandfontein were alerted to reports of a body on the beach near to Strandfontein.

The SA Police Services, CoCT (City of Cape Town) Law Enforcement Marine Unit and CoCT lifeguards responded.

The body of a man, identified by family, has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services and is believed to be the person who went missing in the surf zone at Sunrise Beach, near to Muizenberg, on Monday.

Police have opened an Inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to the family and friends of the deceased man.

See the original media statement below:

NSRI – Sunrise Beach Muizenberg – Tuesday, 12 November. Unidentified female suspected to be missing:
 
We are appealing to anyone who has information relating to a case of an unidentified lady wearing a yellow T-shirt who may have gone missing in the surf zone at Sunrise Beach, near to Muizenberg, on the False Bay Coast, on Monday, 11 November, at around 11h40, to contact Muizenberg Police Station on 0217879000 or NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) on 0870949774 (emergency only).

Nicolette Whitehead, NSRI Strandfontein station commander, said:

At 11h44, Monday, 11 November, the CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network and NSRI Strandfontein duty crew were activated following an eyewitness report made to NSRI's EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) of a female appearing to be in distress before disappearing under water in the surf zone at Sunrise Beach, Muizenberg.

CoCT lifeguards, NSRI Strandfontein rescue swimmers, CoCT Law Enforcement officers and CoCT Law Enforcement Marine Unit, the SA Police Services, CoCT Disaster Risk Management and Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services responded.

WC Government Health EMS and Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were placed on alert.

An NSRI rescue craft JetRib, Spirit of Santam, a CoCT IRB (inflatable rescue boat) and 2 Law Enforcement Marine Unit rescue jet-ski's were launched.

On arrival on the scene, a number of eyewitnesses reported that they suspected that a lady wearing a yellow T-shirt had disappeared under water in the surf zone.

NSRI Strandfontein rescue swimmers entered the water and conducted free dive search efforts in attempts to locate the female while the 4 rescue craft conducted search efforts in the surf zone and beyond.

Despite the extensive search, there remains no signs of the unidentified lady and it appears that no family or friends have come forward to report anyone missing.

We are appealing to anyone who has information relating to this case of an unidentified lady wearing a yellow T-shirt who may have gone missing in the surf zone at Sunrise Beach, near to Muizenberg, False Bay Coast, on Monday, 11 November, at around 11h40, to contact Muizenberg Police Station on 0217879000 or NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) on 0870949774 (emergency only).