UCT student from US presumed drowned

According to the NSRI, the man went swimming with five other UCT students at 23:00 on Sunday evening at a holiday lodge south of Coffee Bay. They were part of a group of 11 students holidaying in the Eastern Cape.

 

He went missing in the surf after appearing to experience difficulty in the water.

 

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said his friends tried to find him and staff from the resort were called to join the search, but police were eventually called when all their attempts proved unsuccessful.

 

A South African Air Force (SAAF) helicopter rescue team as well as NSRI Air Sea Rescue could not be dispatched because of unfavourable weather conditions. Eventually, a police K-9 Search and Rescue team, a police dive unit and Eastern Cape government health EMS disaster risk management responded, but the very remote location of the area and barely accessible terrain led to first responders only arriving on the scene at around 10am on Monday.

 

Lambinon said: "As the morning progressed all efforts to get a helicopter rescue team to the site were made and SAAF15 Squadron (Durban), SAAF 15 squadron Charlie Flight (Port Elizabeth), the EMS rescue helicopter (East London), a police helicopter (East London), and an EMS helicopter (Umtata) remained on high alert throughout the morning so that any one of the resources could be dispatched as soon as weather conditions improved."

 

But the first break in the weather only came after midday, and after an extensive search had already been carried out, a helicopter rescue effort was abandoned.

 

Local private aviators from the area committed to dispatching private aircraft to join in the search but adverse weather conditions have prevented any of the private aircraft from flight.

 

The teenager is presumed to have drowned.

 

"The family of the missing teenager abroad in the United States are being kept informed and the United States Consulate have dispatched a team to the site to assist," said Lambinon.

 

Police would continue an ongoing search operation and were investigating the incident.

 

Lambinon said attempts would be made to dispatch a police helicopter to join the K-9 Search and Rescue and police dive units in the ongoing search on Tuesday, weather dependent.

 

Local community members and staff of the lodge would also continue a vigil of the area, he added.

 

ANA

File photo: NSRI