A toddler is sadly deceased after reportedly falling into a storm water pond.

At 17h16, Friday, 17 July, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew and emergency services were activated following an urgent request for assistance from Plettenberg Bay's First Responders who were on the scene with Police at New Horizons, where a 3-year-old boy was missing in the vicinity of a storm water reservoir.

First Responders (Plettenberg Bay's volunteer community emergency medical services) and the SA Police Service had responded following reports of a toddler who had gone missing while playing with friends at New Horizons, Plettenberg Bay, bordering on the N2.

On arrival on the scene, during a search and investigation, friends of the toddler indicated that he had gone missing after falling into a pond of water at a stormwater reservoir.

While First Responders and Police commenced a search in and around the water, assisted by community members and the toddler's family, NSRI Plettenberg Bay dispatched rescue swimmers, and the NSRI rescue vehicle responded with SAWDN - SA Whale Disentanglement Network long poles - to be used to drag search the bottom of the pond.

Plettenberg Bay Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS ambulance and rescue squad, Bitou Law Enforcement, Bitou Traffic Services and Bitou Municipal authorities responded.

Water extrication pumps were deployed by rescue and municipal teams to drain the pond where the body of the child was located, sadly deceased.

The body of the child was recovered in cooperation with the police and the Government Health Forensic Services.

The body of the child has been taken into the care of the Police and the Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an Inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased child.

The family and those affected by this tragedy are in the care of the police and municipal authorities.