Two people died in separate drowning incidents on Cape Town beaches on Saturday, 8 January. People flocked to the beaches and public swimming pools in Cape Town as temperatures soared in the Mother City.

At 14h09, Saturday, 8 January, NSRI Simonstown duty crew and the City of Cape Town (COCT) water rescue network were called out following eye-witness reports of a drowning in progress at Glencairn Beach. In a statement, the NSRI said: “An NSRI trainee crew member, who lives across the road from the beach and was at the beach at the time, had launched into the water with an NSRI pink rescue buoy, stationed at that beach, after being alerted to a commotion where bystanders were pointing towards a man being swept out to sea in rip currents.” A 46-year-old man was recovered from the surf and despite all rescue efforts was declared.

In another incident, on Saturday City of Cape Town lifeguards, on duty at Monwabisi Main Beach, were alerted by eye-witnesses reporting the lifeless body of a man washed onto the far eastern section of the beach at Monwabisi. The NSRI said: “COCT lifeguards, Cape Town Traffic Services and Law Enforcement officers responded while alerting the CoCT water rescue network and on their arrival on the scene CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were commenced on a 37-year-old male from Mfuleni. Following extensive CPR efforts, the man was sadly declared deceased.”