NSRI Richards Bay and multiple emergency services are searching for a 19-year-old male who went missing while swimming at Mtunzini Main Beach on Thursday afternoon.
Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, reports:
At 13h10 on Thursday, 1 October, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Mtunzini Main Beach. The KZN surf rescue network was alerted.
Our NSRI rescue vehicle, towing the NSRI JetRIB rescue craft, responded along with the SA Police Service, Mtunzini CPF, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife rangers and IPSS Medical Rescue.
On arrival, we found local community members, friends, family and local boaters searching for a 19-year-old male from the Eastern Cape who had gone missing in the surf zone while swimming. They were using a private drone, a RHIB and a jet-ski.
It appears he was swimming with his girlfriend. When she left the water, she noticed he was in difficulty, apparently caught in a rip current, before he disappeared in the surf zone.
An extensive air, sea and shoreline search has found no sign of him. Police K9 Search and Rescue and the Water Policing and Diving Service (WPDS) are continuing the search.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing teenager at this difficult time.
Police have opened an investigation.
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