3 dead, 2 missing after incidents at sea across the Western Cape

The National Sea Rescue Institute has recorded another fatal drowning incident, with three people having died in water-related incidents this past weekend.

The most recent incident recorded by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) took place at the De Villiers dam on Table Mountain on Sunday. A 20-year-old man appears to have drowned while swimming there. The NSRI identified the victim as being from Plumstead.

NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, said rescue teams were alerted at 12h46 of a drowning in progress.

“Friends on the scene indicated where he had gone missing in the dam reportedly while swimming in shallow water. Police divers took over in search efforts and located and recovered the body of the man from under water. Sadly the man was declared deceased by paramedics,” said Lambinon.

A day prior, well-known local, John Flanigan, died when his kayak capsized offshore Bloubergstrand. Tributes have been pouring in following his untimely death.

Later on Saturday, in Wilderness, a 49-year-old Austrian man was caught in rip currents at Leentjiesklip Beach.

Lambinon said two others were also caught in the rip currents. The 19-year-old woman and 21-year-old man were rescued and not injured.

The Austrian tourist was also rescued, and upon his return to shore CPR efforts began. He was transported to a nearby hospital in a critical condition.

“Despite extensive resuscitation efforts continuing in hospital in the care of doctors and nurses, after all efforts to stabilise the man were exhausted, during Saturday night the man was sadly declared deceased by doctors.”

Inquest dockets have been opened in all of the abovementioned cases.

Meanwhile, the water rescue network had also been activated to find a man who disappeared at Cosy Bay in Oudekraal on Sunday.

Rescue teams had received reports of a drowning in progress at about 16h38, when eyewitnesses reported seeing an unidentified man struggling in the waters before disappearing.

“Water Policing and Diving Services attended at the scene where items, appearing to be personal items that may belong to the missing man, were taken into the possession of Police,” said Lambinon.

He is yet to be found.

Similarly, there is still no sign of a 16-year-old who disappeared in the Palmiet Lagoon on Saturday.

Lambinon said the teen, who is from Caledon, had gone missing at midday while swimming.

He noted that during search efforts for the teen, rescue teams were alerted to another drowning in progress at a nearby Betty’s Bay beach.

Two men were reportedly swept off the rocks by waves at Draadbaai, according to an eyewitness, Lambinon said.

He noted that there was no sign of the suspected missing men during a search for them, and added that no missing persons reports were registered in connection with this incident.

“Police are appealing for information that can assist in investigations related to this case, at Draadbaai, Betty’s Bay, where it was suspected that 2 men may have been in difficulties along the shoreline on Saturday afternoon – Kleinmond Police station: 0282718200,” said Lambinon in a statement.