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Tourist airlifted to hospital after nearly drowning on KZN north coast

A 40-year-old woman, believed to be Swiss, was in a stable condition after being swept out to sea by a rip current near Cape Vidal in KwaZulu-Natal.
A 40-year-old woman, believed to be Swiss, was in a stable condition after being swept out to sea by a rip current near Cape Vidal in KwaZulu-Natal.
Image: NSRI

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) responded to a “person in difficulty” near Cape Vidal, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday afternoon.

According to sources, a medical services helicopter was dispatched to pick up a foreign tourist - believed to be a Swiss - who showed “near drowning symptoms” about 4pm on Tuesday.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said staff were on scene.

“NSRI St Lucia and emergency services are on the scene near Cape Vidal St Lucia, where a female aged in her 40s, a tourist, had been involved in a non-fatal incident,” said Lambinon.

“The female is in the care of paramedics and in a stable condition, and due to be airlifted to hospital,” he added.

According to a source on the scene, the woman was caught in a rip current at Cape Vidal's main beach and was swept out to sea.