By Leanne Raymond
A fun day on the Breede River for a Noordhoek family ended in tragedy when their Hobie Cat sailed into overhead powerlines, electrocuting a 15-year-old boy and seriously injuring his father.
Tim Hoare and his son, Justice, were sailing about 3km from Robertson towards Worcester. Justice was swimming and hanging off the back of the yacht when his father saw the powerlines overhead. It happened so suddenly that he could do nothing, Mr Hoare said.
His wife, Pat, said the family had been visiting friends on a farm along the river for the New Year's weekend.
"We were making food while Tim and Justice went sailing."
People who had seen them sail past said they were "laughing and waving".
Mr Hoare said he was knocked unconscious and could not recall the next 20 minutes. When he came to, he was under the boat.
Mrs Hoare said although her husband had severe burns, he walked across an island in the river that was covered in thick vegetation, swam to the opposite bank and walked towards a farmhouse.
Mr Hoare said he was disorientated and not sure where he was. He had searched as much as he could, but could not find his son.
According to farmer Hein van der Merwe, who assisted the family, a farmworker found Mr Hoare and took him to the farmhouse. Van der Merwe drove Mr Hoare to join his wife.
The Hoares' friends took the injured man to hospital while Van der Merwe and Mrs Hoare continued the search for Justice.
"We looked everywhere and when it got dark they told me to go home and wait," Mrs Hoare said. "It was the hardest thing a mother could do."
Police divers found Justice's body five metres below the surface of the water soon after midnight. According to Mrs Hoare, her son had died immediately and did not drown.
Although there were many people on the river, no one had seen the accident.
Johan Rossouw, head of electrical engineering for the Breede River municipality, said officials were investigating the accident. He said powerlines had to be 5.1m above the ground outside residential areas.
Police spokesperson Billy Jones said the Hobie's aluminium mast was 8,67m, while the powerlines were 6,6m high.
Mrs Hoare said her son was kind, gentle and close to his family. He had lived up to his name as he had stood up for people he thought were being unfairly treated. He had loved playing the computer game Warcraft.
Justice had just finished his last year at Fish Hoek Middle School and was about to enter Fish Hoek High.
Mr Hoare has severe burns to his torso, arm and shoulder and is in constant pain. He had an operation at 6pm on Wednesday.
"If we can save one person's life by getting our story out, I will be happy," he said.
Mrs Hoare said: "The people in Robertson prayed with me and held my hand. I'm so thankful to them."
Jones said an inquest docket had been opened and police were investigating whether anyone could be held responsible for the teenager's death.
There would also be an investigation into whether there were adequate warning signs, Jones said.
A memorial service is to be held on January 13 at the family's home.