DURBAN – The body of a 6-year-old boy was recovered by police divers on Sunday afternoon.
This was the third body of a child recovered by police divers in less than a week.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala said police received a report of a drowning in Mfuthululu in Ndumo, Empangeni, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
“It is alleged that a 6-year-old boy was at the river with friends looking for mangoes when he was swept away by the current and drowned,” Gwala said.
“An inquest docket was opened at Ndumo for investigation.”
Last week, police divers recovered the bodies of two boys who drowned in separate incidents in KwaZulu-Natal. They had been swimming.
The divers recovered their bodies on Tuesday.
Police said divers from Durban SAPS Search and Rescue, Durban K9 Search and Rescue and Metro Police Search and Rescue had continued the search for the body of a missing 13-year-old boy.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said the boy drowned while swimming on Sunday at the Umlazi River bridge foothold.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated,” Gwala said.
“Inquest docket was opened at Bhekithemba police station for investigation.”
In the second incident, police said the body of a 10-year-old boy was recovered and handed over to Hibberdene SAPS on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
Officers from the Port Shepstone Search and Rescue unit, K9 Search and Rescue and Med-Evac were called out on Tuesday to Umthwalume lagoon in Hibberdene.
“It is alleged that a group of boys went to swim when a 10-year-old male got into difficulty and drowned.”
“The body was recovered and an inquest was opened at Hibberdene SAPS for investigation,” Gwala said.
Bev Spencer Pieterse said: “I watched as they tried to find his body. Condolences to his family… absolutely tragic.”
Daily News