A fatal drowning accident occurred at Fish Hoek beach on Sunday 6 December in the afternoon.
Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said the NSRI Simonstown volunteer duty crew dispatched a rescue vehicle and the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Safmarine III to respond to the scene at 15h20 following confirmation from on-duty lifeguards at Fish Hoek beach that a man was missing in the surf in front of the Fish Hoek hobie-cat club.
CMR (Cape Medical Response) paramedics, Metro False Bay volunteer Emergency Medical Services and the SA Police Services also responded to the scene to assist.
On arrival on-scene the NSRI joined lifeguards who were already searching for the missing 27 year old man from Gassy Park.
It was confirmed that the brother of the missing man had tried desperately, in vain, to rescue his brother who it appears had gotten caught in strong rip-currents.
It was only after the brother of the missing man swam to the beach and collapsed on the beach, after trying desperately to save his brother, that anyone noticed that there was someone in difficulty and alerted the on-duty lifeguards.
During the search operation the body of the 27 year old man was found in shallow surf, further down the beach, and the CMR and Metro volunteer paramedics initiated Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation efforts but after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted he was declared dead on the scene.
The body of the man has been handed into the care of the SA Police Services and the Forensic Pathology Services.
Two fatal drowning accidents and one near drowning accident in the Western Cape over this weekend highlights the importance for beach goers to exercise extreme caution at our beaches Nationally over the festive season.
Two of these drowning accidents, both fatal, at Eerste Steen on Saturday and at Fish Hoek on Sunday, occurred at beaches where lifeguards are on duty.
All three drowning accidents are suspected to have been caused by strong rip-currents and the near drowning accident at Camps Bay beach, on Saturday night, is suspected to have been caused by a combination of alcohol abuse and strong rip-currents.
The NSRI are urging beach goers to only swim within the safe swimming demarcated zones marked by lifeguards, at beaches where they are on duty, with red and yellow flags.
Do not drink alcohol and go swimming or boating. Be very aware that strong rip-currents prevail all along the coastline. Wear your lifejacket at all times while on any craft on water.
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