Matt Dickey, NSRI Umhlanga station commander, said: At 13h15, Monday, 25 November, the KZN Surf Rescue Network was activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress in the surf zone at Eastmore Crescent, Umhlanga.
eThekwini Municipal Umhlanga Surf lifeguards, NSRI Umhlanga rescue swimmers, Netcare 911 ambulance services, Marshall Security, the SA Police Services, Metro Police Search and Rescue and Police Search and Rescue responded.
NSRI Durban dispatched the NSRI rescue craft JetRib Rescue 5 Charlie.
On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue swimmers and eThekwini Umhlanga lifeguards launched into the surf using a Malibu rescue board and rescue torpedo buoys and free dive searched for a 23 year old male, from Limpopo, who had gone missing in the surf after being caught in rip currents while swimming.
The search was joined by NSRI rescue craft.
Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search there remains no signs of the missing man.
It appears that 2 brothers, from Limpopo and now living in Johannesburg, were visiting the Drakensberg on a holiday and were returning to Johannesburg. They had decided to go to the beach for a swim before their flight. One brother, age 23, who is studying at Limpopo University, had entered the water to swim. He appeared to be caught in rip currents.
A local bystander Good Samaritan man had entered the water to try to help. He retreated when lifeguards and NSRI rescue swimmers joined the search.
During the night family of the missing man have arrived in Umhlanga from Johannesburg.
eThekwini Umhlanga Surf Lifesaving, Police Search and Rescue and Metro Police Search and Rescue are continuing in an ongoing search.
Thoughts, care and compassion are with the family of the missing man in this difficult time.
Magenta
Yebo – yes [yeh-boh] Often expressed as a double positive by combining it with the English “yes” in “Yebo, Yes!” or as an extremely expressive “Yeeebo!” This Zulu word is used regularly in South Africa to show agreement or approval with something or someone.
Shimmy Shammy
USSR: You have two cows. But you wish this was not the case, because in Soviet Russia, cow milk you.