Fatal drowning at Strand Beach, Cape Town

At approximately 09h35 on Thursday, 1 January, NSRI Gordon’s Bay rescue crew, standing by at the NSRI Gordon’s Bay satellite rescue station at Strand Beach, were approached by a woman reporting that a drowning was in progress. The woman, however, was unable to specify the exact location along the beach where the incident was occurring.

NSRI Gordon’s Bay crew immediately alerted City of Cape Town (CoCT) lifeguards at Strand Surf Lifesaving Club, as well as CoCT lifeguards patrolling Strand Beach. Lifeguards, assisted by NSRI, promptly initiated a search along the beach, while the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) reviewed available CCTV footage.

The CoCT water rescue network was activated.

CoCT lifeguards and NSRI launched rescue craft, and lifeguards entered the water, swimming towards bathers in the designated bathing area, initiating an extensive search.

Shortly after the search commenced, a man was located floating lifeless in the water in the surf zone. He was recovered to the beach by CoCT lifeguards, who immediately commenced CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation). NSRI crew assisted with resuscitation efforts.

Western Cape Government Health EMS, GB Med Sec ambulance services, ER24 ambulance services, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, CoCT Law Enforcement, Disaster Risk Management (DRM), and the South African Police Service (SAPS)—all alerted via the CoCT water rescue network and responding to the incident—joined lifeguards and NSRI in extensive CPR efforts.

Despite all efforts to resuscitate the 38-year-old male from Elsies River, paramedics sadly declared the man deceased on the scene.

The body of the deceased has been taken into the care of the South African Police Service and Western Cape Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an Inquest docket.

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