TWO boys, believed to be aged 9, drowned while swimming with their friends at the Onrus Lagoon in Hermanus yesterday.
Hermanus station commander for the NSRI, (National Sea Rescue Institute) Deon Langenhoven, said bystanders indicated to the NSRI that the body of a child had been recovered by a witness from under the water. The two were among a group of four boys aged 9 and 10.
“At 2.48pm, NSRI Hermanus duty crew launched the sea-rescue craft, Jaytee III, and responded to Onrus Beach following reports of a drowning in progress,” said Langenhoven, adding that other services also responded.
He said the bystander had been swimming when he happened upon the body of the child, and recovered it to the shoreline. “A doctor who happened to be there at the time had performed CPR efforts on the child, but the later declared the child deceased.”
Langenhoven said two of the boys had left to go home. Rescue swimmers located and recovered the body of the second child. “The bodies have been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and police have opened an inquest docket,” he said. – Staff Writer