Henk Henn, NSRI Hermanus station commander said; “At approximately 14h00 on 3 October NSRI Hermanus volunteer duty sea rescue crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress at Onrus Beach, near Hermanus.
“Our NSRI volunteer duty crew responded to our sea rescue station to prepare to launch our sea rescue craft and NSRI rescue swimmers, Metro EMS and the SA Police Services responded to the scene.
“On arrival on-scene and adult male was on the beach and was found to have been recovered from the surf by an unidentified surfer and the man, believed to not be from Hermanus, was found to be deceased and the cause of death is suspected to be from drowning.
“The body was handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.
“At approximately 16h30 NSRI Hermanus were activated to return to the same scene after it emerged, during police investigations into the drowning accident, that a further two adult males are suspected to be missing in the surf, both missing persons were subsequently reported (suspected) to have been swimming with the deceased man and it is suspected now that all 3 men got into difficulty in the surf and that only one man was recovered by the surfer and a remaining two men are suspected to be missing.
“A police dive unit have been alerted and a search for the two missing men will resume at first light.
“It is believed that all 3 men (not locals) were working at the beach (believed to have been) laying a pathway for a local employer when they were fed lunch and may have entered the water during or after a lunch break to swim although these details will be investigated by police in the course of their inquest.
