Body of missing man located and recovered by Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) and Police Air Wing:

UPDATE MILNERTON: On Friday morning, 29 November, in an ongoing search and recovery operation, the SA Police Services, Police divers (SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services) and the Police Air Wing helicopter located and recovered the body of a man at Milnerton Beach.

The body of the man was taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

While formal identification is in progress it is believed that the body of the man that was located and recovered by Police is that of a male, from Belhar, confirmed to be age 42, who had gone missing in the surf zone at Milnerton Beach on Sunday, 24 November.

NSRI, Law Enforcement, Milnerton Surf lifeguards, CoCT (City of Cape Town) lifeguards, WC Government Health EMS Rescue Squad Drone Unit and local security, had assisted Police in the ongoing search operation during the week.

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

See original media statement below ...

NSRI – STATION 18, Melkbosstrand. STATION 3, Table Bay. STATION 2, Bakoven
NSRI – MILNERTON – Monday, 25 November. A local man is missing and one man rescued by a Good Samaritan using an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy.:
 
MILNERTON BEACH:
 
At 18h32, Sunday, 24 November, NSRI Melkbosstrand, Milnerton Surf lifeguards and the CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network were activated following reports to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) from TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Cape Town Port Control, Milnerton Surf Lifesaving Club and Cape Town Fire Control, of a drowning in progress at Milnerton Beach.
 
Staff at a local restaurant and eyewitnesses had raised the alarm.
 
NSRI Table Bay, NSRI Bakoven and Coastwatchers West Coast were alerted.
 
NSRI Table Bay rescue swimmers, Milnerton Surf lifeguards, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS and ER24 ambulance services responded directly to the scene.
 
Milnerton Surf lifeguards launched an IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat), NSRI Melkbosstrand launched the rescue craft Rotaries Gift and Sea Ranger 13, NSRI Bakoven launched the rescue craft Rescue 2 Alpha.

Additional NSRI rescue swimmers responded.
 
The EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was dispatched by EMS Metro Control, accompanied by a Metro Rescue diver.
 
The SA Police Services and Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were alerted.
 
NSRI Table Bay remained on alert to launch additional rescue craft.
 
On arrival on the scene it was found that one local adult man, age 23 (confirmed to be age 28), had been rescued from the water by an unidentified Good Samaritan man who had used an NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy, stationed at that beach, to successfully rescue the man from the water. The man who was rescued was not injured. He confirmed that his friend, a local 44 year old man, from Belhar, (confirmed to be age 42) was still missing in the water.
 
It appears that the 2 men had been swimming when they were caught in rip currents.
 
The unidentified Good Samaritan who used the NSRI Pink Rescue Buoy to rescue the one man is commended for his effort that saved a life.
 
NSRI rescue swimmers and Milnerton Surf lifeguards conducted free dive search efforts while an extensive air, sea and shoreline search continued in fast fading daylight.
 
Despite the extensive search efforts, that went on after dark, there remains no sign of the missing man.

The 23 year old man attended at hospital on Sunday night where he was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms.
 
WPDS Police divers attended at the scene.

Police divers are continuing in an ongoing search for the missing man.
 
CoCT Milnerton Surf lifeguards will assist Police divers in their ongoing search efforts.
 
Our thoughts, care and compassion, are with the family and friends of the missing man.