A 13-year-old, reportedly on a school outing, disappeared under the water and drowned at the Kleinmond lagoon, near Hermanus, on Saturday.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Hermanus duty crew dispatched rescue swimmers to Kleinmond lagoon at 6.34pm, following reports that a 13-year-old pupil had got into difficulty in the water.
He had apparently jumped into the water to assist a fellow pupil.
Western Cape Government Health EMS, Overberg Fire and Rescue services and the SA Police Services responded to the emergency.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “Upon arrival on the scene, two NSRI rescue swimmers searched the water and recovered the body of the teenager.
“Sadly, he was declared deceased. Police have opened an inquest docket,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, at about 4:39pm, NSRI Kommetjie, NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Simon’s Town dispatched sea rescue craft to investigate an unconfirmed report that a man on a fishing boat had fallen overboard and was in trouble.
Ski Boat Mobile, which monitors boats fishing off Cape Point, confirmed that the boat had problems but no one had fallen overboard.