A man has drowned in Cape Town harbour after he slipped while boarding a boat and fell into the water, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Sunday.
NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) at 9.30pm on Saturday following reports from the V&A Waterfront security of a man falling into the water at Colliers Jetty, NSRI Table Bay station commander Quentin Botha said.
NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and the sea rescue craft Spirit of Day was launched.
Community medics, the Western Cape government health emergency medical services (EMS) rescue and ambulance, Cape Town fire and rescue services rescue dive unit, and the police dive unit also responded.
"On arrival on the scene it was confirmed that an unidentified man, believed to be aged in his late 20s or early 30s, believed to be a local man, had disappeared under water after reportedly slipping off a moored boat into the water while boarding the boat from the jetty," Botha said.
No sign of the man could be found during a surface water search in the vicinity.
Police divers, supported by Cape Town fire and rescue services rescue divers and EMS rescue squad rescue divers, conducted a scuba dive search.
The man's body was located and recovered from under water. He was declared dead by paramedics.
Police had opened an inquest docket, Botha said.