Two men missing after being swept out to sea at Strand Beach

Two men remain missing after they were swept out to sea in rip currents at Strand Beach in Cape Town.

Police divers from the Water Policing and Diving Services (WPDS) were continuing search operations on Thursday, 3 September, after the two local men disappeared in the surf zone.

PICTURES | NSRI rescue vessel Spirit of Ubuntu arrives at her new home in Hout Bay

The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon after a group of men from a local business visited the beach on a work off day.

According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), its Gordons Bay duty crew was activated at 13:43 following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress near the Helderberg Marine Protected Area and the Lourens River.

NSRI rescue swimmers immediately responded while the rescue craft Zelda was launched from the organisation’s Gordons Bay satellite station at Strand Beach.

The Spirit of Surfski was also launched from the NSRI Gordons Bay Station 9 rescue base.

Two men swept away while trying to help

The NSRI said one man from the group initially got into difficulties in the water.

His two colleagues, a 22-year-old man from Belhar and a 39-year-old man from Mfuleni, Blue Downs, were caught in rip currents while attempting to assist him.

Both men were subsequently swept out and disappeared in the surf zone.

A local surfer, described by the NSRI as a Good Samaritan, is believed to have rescued the man who was initially in distress.

He was treated at the scene by paramedics and was later released without requiring further medical care.

Extensive search launched

A major multi-agency search operation was launched following the incident.

The response included the South African Police Service, NSRI, GB Med Sec ambulance service, Western Cape Government Health EMS, EMS rescue teams and its drone unit.

Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement, the Law Enforcement Marine Unit and Police divers from WPDS also joined the search.

An EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter conducted aerial searches, while NSRI rescue craft searched both the surf zone and areas further out to sea.

Police divers also conducted free-diving searches in the surf zone.

Despite the extensive air, sea and shoreline search, there had been no sign of either missing man.

Police divers from WPDS were continuing with the search on Thursday.

Police have also opened an investigation into the incident.

The NSRI extended its thoughts and care to the families, friends and colleagues of the two missing men.