CAPE TOWN – The post-mortem of an unidentified male that was recovered by the police at Fish Hoek beach on Monday evening 29 December will be conducted soon, police have confirmed.
At 19:10 that evening, the body was recovered, confirmed police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg on Tuesday 6 January.
“An inquest was registered for investigation, and a formal identification is yet to be conducted to determine the identity of the person,” Twigg said.
A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death, he added.
Police could not confirm when the post-mortem would take place when People’s Post enquired.
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Last year’s festive season proved challenging for water rescue services around the Cape Peninsula, with multiple incidents requiring emergency response teams from Christmas Eve through the weekend.
The most serious incident occurred on Wednesday 24 December when two 18-year-old teenagers were caught in rip currents at Fish Hoek beach, resulting in one rescue whille the other teenager from Montana was declared missing, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed.
Christmas Eve tragedy
NSRI Simon’s Town station commander Darren Zimmerman reported that City of Cape Town lifeguards commenced rescue operations at 11:22 that morning in front of the Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club.
The comprehensive response included NSRI rescue swimmers, law enforcement, Cape Medical Response, emergency services, and the Emergency Medical Services and Aerial Medical Services (EMS/AMS) Skymed rescue helicopter.
One 18-year-old male from Belhar was successfully rescued and transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Despite extensive air, sea, and shoreline searches involving five rescue craft and helicopter support, his companion from Montana remained missing.
“Rescue resources, rescue craft and the Skymed rescue helicopter, arriving on the scene, joined City of Cape Town lifeguards in ongoing search efforts for the missing teenager – including five rescue craft – two NSRI rescue craft, two lifeguard rescue craft and a law enforcement marine unit rescue craft and the Skymed rescue helicopter,” Zimmerman added.
It appears that there was a group of teenagers at the beach with a carer when the two teenagers went into the water and were caught in rip currents, he explained.
Good samaritans save children
In a separate incident, two young girls aged five and eight from East Ridge and Hanover Park were rescued at Miller’s Point beach after their inflatable lilo reportedly deflated on Saturday 27 December.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Services arrived first on the scene – they confirmed that two casualties, both female children, were safely out of the water.
Three Good Samaritans – two adult males and one female – pulled the children from the water and initiated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on the five-year-old until pulse and breathing were restored.
Both children were transported to hospital in a stable condition.
The NSRI commended the bystanders whose quick actions contributed to saving the children’s lives.
Festive rescues
Andrew Ingram, NSRI communications manager, says their staff and volunteers have had a busy festive season with rescues.
As of Wednesday 7 January this year, teams had responded to 143 emergency calls, 25 drowning-in-progress incidents, 11 non-fatal and 14 fatal drowning incidents across South Africa. Ingram warns people not to swim once they have consumed alcohol.
“Drinking alcohol seriously compromises your ability to stay safe. We don’t drink and drive, so we shouldn’t drink and swim.”
He reiterates the importance of visiting beaches where there are lifeguards, and cautions beachgoers to swim in designated areas.
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