RICHARDS BAY - A six-year-old girl has drowned in the sea at Richards Bay in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Sunday.
NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated at 3.46pm on Saturday afternoon following reports of a drowning at the Bay Hall area, the NSRI said in a statement.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) search and rescue unit and other officers and Alkantstrand Surf Lifesaving lifeguards also responded.
On arrival on the scene, it was found that a six-year-old girl had been located unresponsive in the water, reportedly by a woman on a surfboard.
"The lady had rescued the child to the shoreline and, assisted by a member of the public, they initiated bystander CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), and responding Alkantstrand Surf Lifesaving lifeguards took over CPR efforts."
NSRI medics arriving on the scene continued with extensive resuscitation efforts and were joined by KwaZulu-Natal health emergency medical services paramedics. Despite extensive CPR efforts, after all efforts to resuscitate the child were exhausted, she was declared dead. Police had opened an inquest docket, the NSRI said.