Man dies after bodyboarding incident at Kenton-on-Sea

A man has died after getting into difficulty while bodyboarding at Kenton-on-Sea middle beach on Friday, 25 September, despite the efforts of three Good Samaritans and NSRI Port Alfred crew to save his life

At 10h04 on Friday, 25 September, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Kenton-on-Sea middle beach.

NSRI rescue swimmers from the Port Alfred Station 11 rescue base and the auxiliary satellite station at Kenton-on-Sea responded, along with the NSRI rescue vehicle, the SA Police Service, Gardmed ambulance service, Hitech Security and Coastal Kindness members.

While responding to the scene, it was reported that a man had already been rescued from the surf zone to the beach by three Good Samaritans, where bystander CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was underway.

On arrival, NSRI found CPR in progress, with an AED (automated external defibrillator) in use on the patient, a 32-year-old man from Cape Town. Paramedics and NSRI crew continued advanced life support, but despite all efforts to resuscitate him, he was sadly declared deceased.

His body has been taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services, and Police have opened an inquest docket.

According to reports, the man had been bodyboarding when he appeared to get into difficulty. Eyewitnesses raised the alarm, and three Good Samaritans, two men and a woman, used two NSRI Pink Rescue Buoys to bring him to shore, where bystander CPR began immediately.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.