Two Drown In Southern Cape
Knysna - The NSRI Station in Knysna and NSRI Station in Wilderness were called out to assist in two separate drowning incidents in the Ashmead Channel and Swartvlei last Saturday.
Knysna
In Knysna a school outing to Loerie Park turned to tragedy when six male children, aged around 12, playing in the water off the Ashmead Channel, commandeered a small boat.
While propelling the boat out into the channel, two of the youths climbed off and returned to shore to join a larger group of children playing in the water.
It is reported that when the boat reached the channel, the four remaining boys capsized the boat, on an outgoing tide at about 14:30.
The children were reportedly trying to help one another to safety, and eventually three managed to get closer to the shore when they were spotted by adults who raced in to help and bring them to shore.
Of the three, aged 11 to 14, one was not breathing and showed only a feint pulse, while the other two were struggling to breathe. The remaining child appeared to have submerged and disappeared under the water.
Fortunately for the boys, local resident Lionel Woods and his wife, who had taken their dogs for their regular swim in that area, were returning to their vehicle and noticed the commotion on the banks of the Lagoon.
Lionel, trained in first aid, initiated Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on the child who wasn't breathing. Emergency calls by the group resulted in paramedics and a party of NSRI swimmers arriving whilst he was engaged in saving the child's life. It was only at this point, according to Lionel, that it became apparent that one of the children was missing.
NSRI swimmers formed a chain to comb the shallow water for the missing boy, assisted by police divers and a police K9 dog unit. The search was called off as darkness set in after sunset.
The body of 13 year old Lindokule Silimela of White Location was found by an angler at about 22:45, two hours after low tide.
Swartvlei
Hennie Niehaus, station commander of NSRI Wilderness, said they were activated at about 13:00 that day, following reports of a 26 year old male missing from Pine Lake Marina at Swartvlei, between Wilderness and Knysna.
The NSRI launched rescue craft ‘Serendipity’ and ‘Spirit of Rotary 100’ to search for the man, and SA Police Service and Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services responded to the call as well.
From reports received on the scene, it appears that three females in their mid to late 20's and two men, a 35 year old and a 26 year old, had launched two small rowing boats equipped with 5 horse power motors from Pine Lake Marina.
Once well into the lake, the men tied the boats together and went swimming. The 10 to 15 knot (20Kph) wind blew the boats away from the two men who swam after them, while shouting to the girls to get the engines started and motor toward them.
According to reports received, the girls were unable to start the motors. The 35 year old eventually reached the boats, but the 26 year old, believed to be from Gansbaai, had disappeared beneath the water. A full scale search, including a dive search by police divers, revealed no sign of the man who is missing and presumed drowned. The search was abandoned after sunset, and resumed on Sunday, but the body of the missing man had still not been found at the time of going to press.
