Two men have died in a drowning incident at Mnandi Beach.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed that teams were alerted to a drowning in progress on Sunday afternoon, after the two men were found face down in the water.

“At 16h40, Sunday, 20 September, NSRI Strandfontein duty crew were activated following reports from CoCT (City of Cape Town) Law Enforcement marine unit and multiple eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at S-Bend, near to Mnandi Beach, False Bay,” read the NSRI’s statement.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the men were at the beach with the group of people.

“It appears that a group of locals were swimming together in shallow surf when members of the group discovered that 2 males, of their group, were face down in the water and they were recovered to the shore and the alarm was raised,” said Lambinon.

Rescue teams managed to recover the casualties from the water, but Lambinon said resuscitation efforts failed. Both men were declared deceased on the scene by paramedics. 

Lambinon identified the victims as a 37-year-old man from Nyanga and a 42-year-old man from Philippi, noting that their bodies have been “taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services”.

“Condolences are conveyed to the families of the 2 men. Police have opened an Inquest docket,” said Lambinon.