Cape Town - Three people drowned, and another is missing, in two unrelated incidents in the sea at two Cape Town beaches, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Sunday.
NSRI Strandfontein duty crew were activated at about 8am on Sunday by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports from Metro Control, the Western Cape government emergency medical services, of a drowning at Monwabisi beach in False Bay, NSRI Strandfontein station commander Vaughn Seconds said.
Two NSRI sea rescue craft, Grand West CSI and Film Industry Rescuer 1, were launched and NSRI rescue swimmers in a sea rescue vehicle, a fire and rescue services dive unit, police and a police dive unit, EMS, and law enforcement responded to join a Cape Town fire and rescue services fire tender already on the scene.
A heart breaking scene at Monwabisi beach where a body of a church member was recovered. #churchdrowning @TheCapeArgus pic.twitter.com/Mo8MAOkm1y
— Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) March 25, 2018
#churchdrowning: Congregants disappointed after identifying a second body. @TheCapeArgus pic.twitter.com/CcdZerQ0Da
— Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) March 25, 2018
#churchdrowning: The search for the missing man has been called off due to rough sea conditions. @TheCapeArgus
— Zodidi Dano (@Zoey_dano) March 25, 2018
"On arrival on the scene, we found one adult male was out of the water and confirmed to be deceased and two adult males remained missing in the surf. It appears that the three men may have been swept out to sea by rip currents during a baptism ceremony in the surf," Seconds said.
During an extensive sea and shoreline search a police dive unit located and recovered the body of one of the missing men. Police divers were continuing an ongoing search operation for the remaining missing man. Police had opened an inquest docket, Seconds said.
About an hour later, NSRI Kommetjie duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of the Vines at 9am following eye-witness reports of a body floating off-shore of Scarborough, NSRI Kommetjie station commander Ian Klopper said.
"On arrival on the scene the body of an adult female was recovered onto our sea rescue craft from the water 150 metres off-shore of Scarborough, and NSRI paramedics confirmed the female to be deceased from a suspected fatal drowning accident. Police have opened an inquest docket," he said.