On Friday afternoon, 29 November, during ongoing search and recovery efforts, the body of a man was located and recovered by Police, assisted by Kwadakuza lifeguards, at Clarkes Beach, Ballito.
The body of the man located and recovered is confirmed to be that of a 23 year old male, from Limpopo, who had gone missing in the surf zone at Eastmore Crescent, uMhlanga, on Monday, 25 November.
eThekwini lifeguards, Kwadakuza lifeguards, NSRI and Metro Police Search and Rescue, assisted the SA Police Services and Police K9 Search and Rescue, in ongoing search and recovery efforts during the week.
The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man.
See original media statement below ...
NSRI and other emergency services responded to reports of a drowning at Eastmore Crescent, Umhlanga. A 23-year-old man from Limpopo went missing in rip currents while swimming. Despite extensive searches, he remains unaccounted for.
At 13h15, Monday, 25 November, the KZN Surf Rescue Network was activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress in the surf zone at Eastmore Crescent, Umhlanga.
eThekwini Municipal Umhlanga Surf lifeguards, NSRI Umhlanga rescue swimmers, Netcare 911 ambulance services, Marshall Security, the SA Police Services, Metro Police Search and Rescue and Police Search and Rescue responded.
NSRI Durban dispatched the NSRI rescue craft JetRib Rescue 5 Charlie.
On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue swimmers and eThekwini Umhlanga lifeguards launched into the surf using a Malibu rescue board and rescue torpedo buoys and free dive searched for a 23 year old male, from Limpopo, who had gone missing in the surf after being caught in rip currents while swimming.
The search was joined by NSRI rescue craft.
Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search there remains no signs of the missing man.
It appears that 2 brothers, from Limpopo and now living in Johannesburg, were visiting the Drakensberg on a holiday and were returning to Johannesburg. They had decided to go to the beach for a swim before their flight. One brother, age 23, who is studying at Limpopo University, had entered the water to swim. He appeared to be caught in rip currents.
A local bystander Good Samaritan man had entered the water to try to help. He retreated when lifeguards and NSRI rescue swimmers joined the search.
During the night family of the missing man have arrived in Umhlanga from Johannesburg.
eThekwini Umhlanga Surf Lifesaving, Police Search and Rescue and Metro Police Search and Rescue are continuing in an ongoing search.
Thoughts, care and compassion are with the family of the missing man in this difficult time.
Multiple incidents around the coastline and inland/ NSRI lifeguards deployed early across beaches along the Southern Cape Coast:
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