Tributes are pouring in for the late mother and aunt of former Springbok rugby player Breyton Paulse.
On Sunday, Paulse’s mother Setta Visagie and his aunt Marie Galant drowned at the Old Harbour in Hermanus.
A close friend of the family told TimesLIVE the two were apparently taking photos when they were swept away.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde offered heartfelt condolences to the family. “Mr Paulse and his family are in our thoughts at this painful time.”
According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the bodies of the two sisters, aged 60 and 62, from Ceres, have been taken into the care of government health forensic pathology services.
Station commander for the NSRI in Hermanus, Andre Barnard, said their crew were activated after eyewitness reports of two people appearing to be lifeless, floating in the water.
“The sea rescue craft Rotarian Burnett was launched. NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI rescue vehicle and St Johns ambulance services responded. Western Cape government health EMS [crew] were activated. While responding, additional calls were being received of two females washed off the old harbour wall by waves,” he said.
On arrival on the scene, just offshore of the Hermanus Old Harbour, two adult females were located and recovered onto the NSRI rescue craft. Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts commenced and the two were also taken to the NSRI rescue station where CPR was continued by paramedics.
“Sadly, after all efforts to resuscitate the two females were exhausted, they were declared deceased by paramedics. The SA Police Service was activated and an inquest docket has been opened,” Barnard said.
On social media, South Africans are passing on their condolences to Paulse and his family.
This is the third drowning tragedy to affect the Springboks community in recent months. Former coach Peter de Villiers lost his wife Theresa in a swimming pool accident in April and Jannie du Plessis's one-year-old son Jan Nataniel drowned in the family's pool in November.
Tributes pour in after Breyton Paulse's mom and aunt drown in Hermanus
Image: NSRI
Tributes are pouring in for the late mother and aunt of former Springbok rugby player Breyton Paulse.
On Sunday, Paulse’s mother Setta Visagie and his aunt Marie Galant drowned at the Old Harbour in Hermanus.
A close friend of the family told TimesLIVE the two were apparently taking photos when they were swept away.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde offered heartfelt condolences to the family. “Mr Paulse and his family are in our thoughts at this painful time.”
According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the bodies of the two sisters, aged 60 and 62, from Ceres, have been taken into the care of government health forensic pathology services.
Station commander for the NSRI in Hermanus, Andre Barnard, said their crew were activated after eyewitness reports of two people appearing to be lifeless, floating in the water.
“The sea rescue craft Rotarian Burnett was launched. NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI rescue vehicle and St Johns ambulance services responded. Western Cape government health EMS [crew] were activated. While responding, additional calls were being received of two females washed off the old harbour wall by waves,” he said.
On arrival on the scene, just offshore of the Hermanus Old Harbour, two adult females were located and recovered onto the NSRI rescue craft. Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts commenced and the two were also taken to the NSRI rescue station where CPR was continued by paramedics.
“Sadly, after all efforts to resuscitate the two females were exhausted, they were declared deceased by paramedics. The SA Police Service was activated and an inquest docket has been opened,” Barnard said.
On social media, South Africans are passing on their condolences to Paulse and his family.
This is the third drowning tragedy to affect the Springboks community in recent months. Former coach Peter de Villiers lost his wife Theresa in a swimming pool accident in April and Jannie du Plessis's one-year-old son Jan Nataniel drowned in the family's pool in November.
TimesLIVE
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