Cape Town – The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and police divers are still searching for a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man who are believed to have drowned near Mnandi beach in Strandfontein yesterday.
From Delft and Port Elizabeth respectively, the duo are believed to have gotten into difficulty in the rough sea just after 10.30am and were swept away as the wind speed increased.
A friend who had been with them while they were swimming reportedly also experienced difficulty, but had managed to make his way back to the shore safely and call for help.
Despite an extensive sea, air and shoreline search, no sign of the missing man and teenager was found and police divers are continuing the search.
City Law Enforcement Inspector Wayne Dyason said: "Just after 10.30am, a member of the public reported to the Law Enforcement Marine Office Unit at Blue Waters beach in Strandfontein that two male swimmers who had accompanied him to the beach were in the surf at Garbage Beach, which is near Mnandi off Lukannon Drive.
“They got into difficulty. The City’s lifeguards, NSRI, the City’s Marine Unit, Metro rescue, SAPS and Skymed all responded.
“When they arrived on the scene, the bathers were nowhere to be seen. A search is currently in process, for the two male bathers, aged 17 and 22.
“They were last seen drifting in an easterly direction in the surf. One is from Delft and the other Port Elizabeth.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said yesterday the SAPS Diving Unit had been on the scene.
“Currently the sea is not conducive to dive, however, members are doing shore patrols in the vicinity,” Van Wyk said.
"Our thoughts are with the families of the missing man and the missing teenager in this difficult time," the NSRI said.