Mossel Bay: Fatal Drowning

JC Roos, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said: Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of a 32 year old Cape Town man who sadly passed away today at Dana Bay, Mossel Bay, in a fatal drowning accident.

NSRI Mossel Bay duty crew were activated at 12h24, Friday, 29 March, following reports from an off-duty Fire and Rescue Services officer, who was at Dana Bay, of a drowning in progress.

2 NSRI rescue craft were launched, an NSRI rescue vehicle, NSRI rescue swimmers – in their private vehicles, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, Mossel Bay Law Enforcement and the SA Police Services (SAPS) responded.

SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were alerted.

On arrival on the scene one adult male had been assisted from the water and he was not injured and one man was missing.

Public members spotted the second man in the surf zone where an NSRI rescue swimmer and Fire and Rescue Services rescue swimmer recovered the man to the beach.

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts were commenced by paramedics and NSRI medics and assisted by a Hartenbos Lifesaving lifeguard.

After extensive efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted sadly he was declared deceased.

It appears that the 2 men, friends, both from the Strand, Cape Town, on holiday in Mossel Bay with family, were fishing (shoreline angling) together reportedly from a shallow sand bank when the one man was swept away in rip currents. His friend had tried to save him but also it appears he got into difficulty before being able to get to shore where he was assisted.

The body of the deceased man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology services.

Police have opened an inquest docket.