A double tragedy has struck a Riebeck East family after two young cousins drowned at a farm dam outside the small Eastern Cape village on Sunday afternoon.

 The two‚ aged six and seven‚ were living with their grandmother. A family member was forced to go into the water and recover one of the bodies while a second body was recovered by SAPS divers.

Riebeck East is a farming area that lies 42km west of Grahamstown.

 Grahamstown police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender said police have opened an inquest docket following the incident. The two youngsters’ mothers are sisters.

 Govender said the incident occurred at approximately 1.20pm on Sunday. “It is believed that the children were swimming in the dam when the tragic incident took place.”

 Family members were alerted about the drownings by a minor who was with the deceased pair on what was believed to be a swimming outing.

“When the local SAPS arrived one child was already retrieved by a local member of the community and‚ after the arrival of police divers‚ the second child was recovered.”