RIP | Woman drowns while swimming with children at KwaZulu-Natal beach

A 32-year-old woman has died following a drowning incident at Umzumbe Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Shelly Beach duty crew and Police Search and Rescue were activated at 18:02 on Saturday, 7 November, after eyewitnesses reported a drowning in progress.

READ | Graham Howes’ legacy lives on through new NSRI rescue vessel

Bystanders recovered the woman

NSRI rescue swimmers, a rescue vehicle, the South African Police Service (SAPS), Police Search and Rescue and Med-Evac ambulance service responded to the scene.

However, while emergency teams were on their way, witnesses reported that bystanders had recovered a woman from the water.

On arrival, responders found the 32-year-old local woman deceased on the beach.

Woman was swimming with two children

According to Glen Preston, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, it appears the woman had been swimming with two children when she may have got into difficulty in the surf zone.

She is believed to have been washed towards the shoreline before being recovered from the shallow surf by bystanders.

Her body was handed over to police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.

The NSRI has conveyed its condolences to the woman’s family.