The body of a man was been discovered earlier today after a double drowning at Strand yesterday.

Difficulty in water

It appears that a group of men from a local business, went to the beach on their day off, where one of the men got into difficulty in the water. His two colleagues, a 22-year-old man from Belhar and a 39-year-old man from Mfuleni, Blue Downs, were caught in rip currents while trying to assist their friend and both men went missing in the surf zone.

According to Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute, an unidentified local surfer rescued the man who was initially in distress. That man was attended to by paramedics and he was released, requiring no further medical care.

“Despite the extensive air, sea and shoreline search, including NSRI rescue craft searching in and beyond the surf zone, aerial search efforts by the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, and police divers — Water Policing and Diving Service (WPDS) — conducting free-dive search efforts in the surf zone, there remained no sign of the two men who were still missing by Wednesday,” says Lambinon.

This morning (3 September), NSRI Gordon’s Bay were alerted to reports of a body discovered on Strand Beach, in the Helderberg Protected Marine Area, near the Lourens River.

Body recovered

“The police, police divers — Water Policing and Diving Service (WPDS) — and Western Cape Government Health EMS were alerted and responded, while NSRI Gordon’s Bay crew responded to the scene to assist. On arrival on the scene, the body of an adult man was located and recovered by police divers, assisted by NSRI and EMS paramedics. The body of the man has been taken into the care of the police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

“While it is believed that the body located and recovered is that of the 39-year-old man who went missing on Wednesday, formal identification by the family is in progress, in cooperation with the police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. An inquest docket has been opened by the police. Condolences are conveyed to the family, and thoughts and care remain with the families, friends and colleagues related to this tragedy,” says Lambinon.

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