On Thursday, December 5, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Port Alfred duty crew was called following reports of a teenager missing near East Beach, Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape at about 2.40pm.
On arrival, a massive sea and beach search began for a 16-year-old teenager who was last seen in the water while swimming with a group of friends who are all from Soweto, Gauteng.
The group of youngsters and their two caretakers, who are their coaches, apparently went down to the beach to swim when, while swimming, the teenager is suspected of going missing in the sea, and an alert was raised.
"Police K9 Search and Rescue are activated to continue in an ongoing search and a missing persons case has been opened by police who are coordinating efforts. Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search, there remains no signs of the missing teenager," said the NSRI.
In the Western Cape on Monday, December 2, at 10.34am, the NSRI Simon's Town duty crew was activated to assist the at the Glencairn Beach tidal pool, where Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts were reportedly in progress on a nine-year-old boy who is believed to have been rescued from the tidal pool following a drowning incident.
"On arrival on the scene it was found that two male children, reportedly on a small local school excursion to the beach, we believe accompanied by teachers, carers and an NGO, had reportedly been rescued by members of the group from the tidal pool water," said the NSRI.
The child was taken to the hospital in serious condition on an EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter and cared for by paramedics.
A second youngster was taken to the hospital by CMR ambulance in severe but stable condition.
"We believe that the nine-year-old child remains in a critical condition in the care of doctors and nurses in hospital but is believed to be stable. Thoughts are with the family of the child in this difficult time."
IOL