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A teen has drowned and a man is missing after falling off a cliff in the Western Cape this weekend

Mossel Bay National Sea Rescue Institute teams are looking for a man believed to have fallen from a cliff into the sea. On Saturday the team was unable to rescue a teen who drowned. File photo.
Mossel Bay National Sea Rescue Institute teams are looking for a man believed to have fallen from a cliff into the sea. On Saturday the team was unable to rescue a teen who drowned. File photo.
Image: 123/alexzaitsev

A teen died on Saturday and a 23-year-old man is missing in separate incidents in Mossel Bay at the weekend.

The 13-year-old drowned on Saturday despite interventions by paramedics at De Bakke Beach in the Western Cape.

According to Andre Fraser, commander of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Mossel Bay station, at  2.53pm the NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress.

A routine training course was taking place at the sea rescue station at the time. Sea rescue craft St Blaise was immediately launched with a NSRI rescue vehicle, ER24 ambulance services, By Grace ambulance services, police and a police dive unit.

According to Fraser, two youngsters were in difficulty in the surf when one managed to get out of the water and one disappeared under water.

“It appears that while swimming a local 13-year-old male got into difficulty. His brother, aged 17, tried to assist him. The 17 year old managed to get back to shore but the 13 year old disappeared under water.

“On arrival a sea and shoreline search commenced. The teenager was located under water and recovered onto the sea rescue craft. CPR efforts commenced.”

Fraser said the teen was brought to shore while extensive CPR efforts continued.

“After all efforts to resuscitate the teenager were exhausted, he was declared deceased.”

Police have opened an inquest docket.

A second incident took place on Sunday when a man fell from cliffs into the sea at the St Blaise walking trail at Mossel Bay Golf Estate.

A search is still underway.

Fraser said at 3.47pm on Sunday NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated after an emergency Whatsapp group message reported a person had fallen from cliffs into the sea.

St Blaise sea rescue craft was launched with the NSRI rescue vehicle as additional NSRI crew responded to the land side.

By Grace ambulance services, Mossel Bay fire and rescue services, police, Mossel Bay traffic services and a government health EMS rescue squad and ambulance were also at the scene.

A shoreline and sea search commenced and two helicopters, one privately owned and one owned by the municipality, joined the search.

“Despite an extensive sea, shoreline and air search there remains no sign of the 23-year-old male.”

Police have opened an investigation into the incident. 

On Monday the police dive unit were being assisted in an ongoing search for the man by disaster risk management, Mossel Bay fire and rescue services, government health EMS, government health forensic pathology services, NSRI Mossel Bay, community police forum members, Neighbourhood Watch and helicopters.

TimesLIVE


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