School holiday drowning tragedy at Kenton-on-Sea

A 32-year-old man from Cape Town has died after getting into difficulty while bodyboarding at Middle Beach in Kenton-on-Sea.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Port Alfred crew was activated at 10:04 on Friday, 25 September, following reports of a drowning in progress.

READ | NSRI confirms 20-year-old man missing near Kenton-on-Sea

NSRI rescue swimmers from Port Alfred and its Kenton-on-Sea satellite station responded to the scene, along with the NSRI rescue vehicle, South African Police Service, Gardmed ambulance service, Hitech Security and Coastal Kindness members.

Good Samaritans

According to the NSRI, three members of the public rescued the man from the surf before bringing him to the beach.

The three Good Samaritans – two men and a woman – used two NSRI pink rescue buoys to reach the man and bring him out of the water.

Bystander CPR was immediately started on the beach.

When emergency crews arrived, CPR was still in progress and an automated external defibrillator (AED) was being used.

Paramedics and NSRI crew continued advanced life-support CPR in an effort to revive the man.

Despite the resuscitation efforts, he was declared deceased at the scene.

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

Police have opened an inquest docket.

Bodyboarding tragedy

The NSRI said eyewitnesses reported that the man had been bodyboarding when he appeared to get into difficulty in the surf.

The alarm was raised and the three Good Samaritans were able to reach him using the rescue buoys before starting CPR.

The incident highlights the dangers faced by swimmers and bodyboarders in the surf, even when conditions may appear manageable.

The NSRI conveyed its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased man.