At 13h20 on Wednesday 4 January, NSRI Melkbosstrand volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports from Police on duty at the Silverstroomstrand beach of a drowning in progress at Silverstroomstrand, North of Melkbosstrand.
NSRI Melkbosstrand dispatched sea rescue craft and a rescue vehicle, and Metro EMS, a Metro EMS rescue squad, the Metro EMS Skymed helicopter, a Police helicopter accompanied by a Police diver, and a Police Dive Unit responded to join local lifeguards who had initiated a search for the missing man.
While rescue resources were responding to the scene Police confirmed that a male had disappeared under water approximately 50 meters off-shore after being swept out to sea.
It appears, according to reports, that lifeguards at the beach had closed the beach for swimming due to rough seas and they had warned the man not to enter the water due to the rough seas and strong rip-currents that prevailed at the beach but despite the warnings the man had waded into the water before being swept out to sea and was last seen being swept against rocks before disappearing under water. Lifeguards reached the place where the man disappeared only minutes after he had disappeared under water but despite their best efforts the man could not be detected in the water.
An extensive air, sea and shore search, hampered by very rough and confused sea conditions, has revealed no sign of the man and a Police Dive Unit are continuing with an ongoing search and recovery operation.
The 19 year old man, from Darling, is missing and is presumed to have drowned.
His mother and father, who were on the beach with him at the time, have been transported to hospital for trauma counseling and treatment for shock.
Police have opened an inquest docket.
