Two Men Drown at Mnandi Beach Despite NSRI Rescue Efforts

Two men, aged 37 and 42, drowned at S-Bend near Mnandi Beach in False Bay on Sunday afternoon after NSRI Strandfontein, SAPS, Cape Town DRM, Fire and Rescue, EMS and other emergency services responded to a large-scale rescue operation — but despite extensive CPR efforts on scene, both men could not be revived.

NSRI Strandfontein's duty crew was activated at 16h40 on Sunday, 20 September, following reports from City of Cape Town (CoCT) Law Enforcement's marine unit and multiple eyewitnesses of a drowning in progress at S-Bend, close to Mnandi Beach in False Bay.

According to NSRI Strandfontein station commander Nicolette Whitehead, a group of locals had been swimming together in the shallow surf when members of the group realised that two of the men swimming with them had gone under and were floating face down in the water. The men were pulled to shore by the group, who then raised the alarm.

A large multi-agency response followed. NSRI rescue swimmers and a rescue vehicle were dispatched, while the NSRI rescue craft Rotarian Mercedes — on the water nearby at the time — diverted to the scene. They were joined by the South African Police Service, Cape Town Disaster Risk Management, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service, the Western Cape Government Health EMS, CoCT Law Enforcement and its marine unit, and Life Healthcare response paramedics. The CoCT water rescue network was also alerted.

When NSRI crew arrived on scene, they found both casualties already out of the water on the beach and immediately began CPR. They were joined shortly after by Law Enforcement, other rescue services, paramedics and police, who assisted in ongoing resuscitation efforts.

Despite sustained attempts to revive both men, paramedics ultimately declared them deceased once all resuscitation efforts had been exhausted.

The deceased have been identified as a 37-year-old man from Nyanga and a 42-year-old man from Philippi. Their bodies were taken into the care of the police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an inquest docket into the incident. Whitehead conveyed condolences on behalf of NSRI to the families of both men.