GQEBERHA – Rescue teams are searching for a 23-year-old man who went missing while swimming at Bluewater Bay Main Beach in Gqeberha on Thursday evening.
The drama unfolded around 18:35 on 2 January when the man and his 18 year old sister got into difficulty in the water. Both began screaming for help as they struggled against strong currents.
Two bystanders quickly ran into the water and managed to pull the young woman to safety. However, her brother was dragged deeper into the sea by the powerful current and disappeared beneath the waves before rescuers could reach him.
The Coastal Water Rescue squad was called to the scene and immediately began searching the water. A local fisherman had also helped during the initial rescue efforts.
Rescue teams faced tough conditions, with strong currents and fading light making the search extremely difficult. After about 30 minutes, the NSRI Station 6 joined the effort with their rescue craft Rescue 6C from the harbour.
Despite extensive searching, the young man could not be found. The scene was eventually handed over to police.
According to police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg, search operations resumed on Friday morning and are ongoing.
