A 20 year-old man from Gauteng is missing after disappearing under water yesterday, 16 December 2014, after getting caught in rip currents while swimming. Despite an extensive search no sign of the man was found and at midnight NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were conducting further beach shoreline searches.
NSRI Jeffreys Bay were activated to respond to the drowning incident at 5, 30 pm and laynched the sea rescue craft Eddie Beaumont II. The SAP, EC Government Health EMS and Rescue, Private Care ambulance services, Kouga Municipal Lifeguards manager responded plus a local SAA pilot volunteered his private fixed wing aircraft.
It took sometime before rescuers were able to determine where the incident had happened, who was involved and what had happened, causing a critical delay in the search and rescue operation.
A surfer had gone to his rescue but the man had disappeared under water before the surfer could reach him. Police trauma counsellors assisted the family of the missing man.
Police opened an investigation into the incident and a Police Dive Unit joined in the search this morning.
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