A Cape Town surfer enjoying the waves at Seal Point in the Eastern Cape died on Monday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed.
Lifeguards were alerted to a surfer requiring medical attention before 3pm.
The NSRI St Francis Bay station commander, Sarah Smith said crew members and Kouga lifeguards were alerted after a surfer was reportedly requiring medical assistance at Seal Point.
She said NSRI prepared to launch an NSRI rescue craft, while NSRI medics, NSRI rescue swimmers, Kouga municipal lifeguards, Eastern Cape Government Health EMS, Rapid Emergency Medical Services (REMS), Relay ambulance services, local security and Community Crime Prevention (CCP) companies and the SA Police Service (SAPS) responded.
“On NSRI members arriving on the scene, we found a doctor assisting Kouga lifeguards and members of the public - conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts on a man, believed to be aged 30, who we are informed is from Cape Town.
“NSRI medics and paramedics assisted with the CPR efforts on the scene.
“The body of the man has been taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services,” Smith said.
An inquest docket has been opened by police.
A trauma counsellor was on the scene to comfort the family of the surfer during their time of bereavement.
The NSRI commended the surfers, who it believed had noticed that the man was in peril in the water while surfing, and they were able to get the man to the shoreline.
“Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man,” Smith added.