At 16h15 on Sunday 1 April, NSRI Wilderness volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress, where 2 South Korean male citizens were swept out to sea, at Sedgefields Myoli Beach.
NSRI sea rescue craft, NSRI crew in rescue vehicles, ER-24 Ambulance Services, WC Government Health: EMS, Skymed (WC Government Health: EMS rescue helicopter) and the SA Police Force responded to the scene.
On arrival on-scene 1 of the casualties, a 30 year old male, who had been rescued from the surf by a local man, Michael Watson, was treated for near drowning symptoms and transported to hospital by ambulance in a serious but stable condition and 1 of the casualties, a 22 year old male, remains missing and he is feared to have drowned.
By last light an extensive air, sea and shore search had revealed no sign of the missing man and a Police Dive unit has been activated to continue a search from first light.
“It appears that both men were swimming in very calm sea conditions when they were both swept out to sea by a rip-current”, said Garth Dominy, NSRI Wilderness duty coxswain.
Both men are reportedly in South Africa on a training course, for the past three months, and were holidaying with their wife (of the 30 year old hospitalized) and girlfriend (of the 22 year old missing man) at a local back-packers lodge.
The South Korean Consulate assisted NSRI with language interpretation.
Police have opened an inquest docket.
The Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation have been informed.
