Edrich Kotze, NSRI Hermanus station commander, said: At 17h17, Thursday, 11 September, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following reports from ADT Security reporting that they were on the scene of a person in distress along rocks near to the New Harbour, Hermanus.
Details to determine if the person was still in the water could not be clarified.
NSRI rescue swimmers, the SA Police Services and CMC ambulance services responded.
On arrival on the scene, it was confirmed that an adult male (believed to be aged in his 40's), a local, was out of the water where he was sadly declared deceased by paramedics.
It appears that the man may have been free diving with friends and we believe that after getting into difficulties fellow divers may have taken at least an hour to get the casualty male diver to the shoreline where the alarm was raised.
The body of the man was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
Police have opened an inquest docket.
Condolences are conveyed to the family and friends of the deceased man.
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