DURBAN: Rescue teams are continuing their search for a teen who was swept out to sea at Jabula Beach in St Lucia on Monday.
National Sea Rescue Institute St Lucia station commander Jan Hoffman said they were alerted to the call on Monday just 3pm.
"The NSRI St Lucia duty crew was activated following reports from poliCe and iSimangaliso Wetland Park rangers of a drowning in progress at Jabula Beach," he said.
Hoffman said NSRI rescue swimmers, along with police and rangers, conducted an extensive sea and shoreline search for a 14-year-old boy who was missing in the surf line after being swept out to sea in currents while swimming.
"Despite an extensive search there remains no sign of the teenager. Police Search and Rescue are continuing in an ongoing search. Thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing teenager in this difficult time," he said.
The incident comes less a week after a man drowned at Sheffield Beach.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Paul Herbst said that when emergency teams arrived at the scene, it was established that a person had drowned at sea and had been brought to shore, by bystanders.
He said advanced life-support paramedics assessed the patient. He showed no signs of life and was declared deceased.
"Family members of the deceased arrived on the scene, as they had been out looking for him after he did not return home after a walk. It is speculated that the man lost his footing and fell into the water, at which point he drowned. It is not believed he had been swimming at the time," Herbst said.
IOL