The NSRI has urged the public to be cautious around the coastline from today and until after the coming weekend as the full moon spring tide, which peaks on Tuesday, has begun to increase in intensity as it builds towards the spring tide peak.
This as a search was conducted in vain today for a 29-year-old male that had gone missing in the sea at Monwabisi Beach, Vaughn Seconds, the NSRI Strandfontein station commander, said in a statement. The subsequent search for another missing person at sea also proved fruitless.
At Milnerton lagoon beach on Monday, one young man who experienced difficulty in the surf was luckily rescued, but a search is still being conducted for another bather that had gone missing.
"At 14h58, Monday, 24th September, NSRI Strandfontein duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports of a drowning in progress at Monwabisi Beach.
"The sea rescue craft I&J Rescuer II was launched and our NSRI rescue vehicle, Marine Law Enforcement, WC Government Health EMS, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services dive unit, the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter and the SA Police Services and local lifeguards responded," Seconds said.
"On arrival on the scene, a search commenced for a person missing in the surf, reported to be a local 29-year-old male. During the search, it was suspected from eyewitness accounts that another (a second male) may also have disappeared in the surf at the same location.
"Despite an extensive air, sea and shoreline search no sign of the missing person or missing persons have been found and police have opened an investigation."
A police dive unit is conducting an ongoing search operation.
Quentin Botha, NSRI Table Bay station commander, said: "At 15h52, Monday, 24th September, NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Melkbosstrand duty crews were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports of a drowning in progress at Milnerton Lagoon Beach.
"A local surfer, Chris Poseman, had noticed two young men in the water off-shore of the lagoon mouth and appearing to be in difficulty in the surf line.
"Chris launched into the surf, swimming towards the man closest to the shoreline, who was appearing to indicate that he was in difficulty. But before he could reach him, the man disappeared beneath the surf.
"The second male, a 22-year-old male from Belhar, who was further out to sea at the time, was able to get to shore after being assisted by two surfers who went to his aid.
"The two surfers had been alerted by members of the public on the beach and they had reached the second man (the 22-year-old), and they assisted him safely to shore using a surfboard. The 22-year-old male rescued by surfers was not injured."
A search then commenced for a 20-year-old male, from Belhar, who had gone missing in the surf.
"The search area, in strong rip currents and in strong sea currents, extended between Milnerton lagoon beach and Milnerton beach at Woodbridge Island.
"Despite an extensive air, sea and shoreline search, no sign of the missing 20-year-old man has been found and police have opened an investigation. Police are assisting the family with support and a police dive unit is conducting an ongoing search operation."
Regarding the full moon spring tide, the NSRI urged that bathers should only go to beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty and swim within the safe demarcated swimming zones, which lifeguards post using their red and yellow flags.
The spring tide occurs at the full moon and again at the new moon, and brings with it a higher than normal high tide, a lower than normal low tide and stronger than normal rip currents.