CAPE TOWN – A 20-year-old man has died following a drowning incident at De Villiers Dam near Constantia Nek on Table Mountain.
Emergency services were alerted shortly before 13:00 on Sunday, 1 February, after reports of a drowning in progress at the dam.
According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), multiple rescue agencies responded to the scene.
Chris Westcott, NSRI Hout Bay coxswain, said the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre was notified at 12:46 by Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services Control.
“NSRI Hout Bay rescue swimmers, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services rescue divers, the South African Police Service, Western Cape Government Health EMS rescue squad, an EMS Metro Rescue Drone Unit and Table Mountain National Park rangers responded,” he said.
Westcott explained that upon arrival, rescue teams initiated a search for the man after friends on the scene indicated where he had gone missing.
“NSRI rescue swimmers initiated a search in De Villiers Dam for a 20-year-old male, from Plumstead, whose friends on the scene indicated where he had gone missing reportedly while swimming in shallow water,” he said.
Police divers later took over in search efforts and located the body.
The man was declared dead on the scene by paramedics.
“Condolences are conveyed to the family and friends of the drowning victim,” Westcott said.
He also commended the coordinated response by all agencies involved, noting “the cooperation and the swift response of TMNP rangers, NSRI Hout Bay rescue swimmers, Police and the emergency services” to the remote location.
