Durban - Two women were saved from drowning by patrons at a hotel pool in Margate on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast after they sank to the bottom of the pool on Saturday night.
Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said paramedics responded to a drowning at a seaside hotel at Margate beach just before 9pm.
“Reports indicate two adult females sank to the bottom of the pool, shortly after jumping in,” he said.
Herbst said both women were pulled out of the water by hotel patrons who witnessed the incident.
“Medics assessed both patients who had ingested pool water but were in a stable condition,” he said.
He said once treated, the patients were transported by government emergency services to a hospital.
Herbst said in an incident on Saturday morning, a mother and daughter got into difficulty while swimming at North Beach in Durban.
He said eThekwini lifeguards witnessed the swimmers in distress and were quick to respond.
The lifeguards managed to pull both swimmers to shore, he said.
“When medics arrived on the scene, they found both patients on the beach. The mother was in a stable condition and declined any treatment, however the 10-year-old child had ingested seawater and was in severe respiratory distress,” said Herbst.
Herbst said the child was treated on the scene by Netcare 911 emergency care practitioners and once stabilised, she was transported to a hospital for further care.
In another incident on Saturday, an organisation called Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Tongaat received multiple calls of a drowning in progress at Casuarina Beach around 11.30 am.
The organisation said volunteers together with emergency services were dispatched and upon arrival found two adult males on the shore.
“It was established that an individual was swimming when he got into difficulty. A bystander who noticed what was occurring went to [his] rescue however both individuals got into difficulty,” said the organisation
CERT Tongaat said both men were assessed by volunteers together with paramedics before being transported to hospital for further care.
Meanwhile, eThekwini Municipality announced on Saturday that Bay Beach, North Beach, Wedge Beach, South Beach, Addington Beach, uShaka Beach, Point Beach (Vetchies), Brighton Beach, Amanzimtoti Main Beach, Pipeline Beach, Warner Beach, Winklespruit Beach, and Umgababa Beach are now open following extensive testing.
“Testing has confirmed that the water quality at these beaches is now at an acceptable standard,” said the city.
Beaches that remain closed include: eThekwini Beach, Laguna Seasonal Beach, Ansteys Beach, Reunion Beach, and Baggies Beach.
The municipality said all water activities such as swimming, surfing, fishing, bathing, and canoeing are therefore prohibited at these closed beaches.
“Beachgoers are urged to avoid water-related activities at beaches that are closed. The public will be notified when the closed beaches are reopened and safe for public use,” said the city.