Teenager missing in sea in False Bay, woman rescued from drowning

 A teenager is missing in the surf at Strandfontein in False Bay, Cape Town and in a separate incident a woman was transported to hospital following a non-fatal drowning accident in the same area, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Sunday.

NSRI Strandfontein duty crew were activated at 13:22 following reports of a drowning in progress at Fishermans Walk, west of Strandfontein Pavilion, NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said.

The sea rescue craft Grand West CSI and Film Industry Fund Rescuer One were launched to search in the surfline, NSRI rescue swimmers, City of Cape Town lifeguards, law enforcement, a Western Cape Emergency Management Services (EMS) rescue squad, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and its dive unit, and the Cape Town Traffic Services responded.

No sign of 15-year-old boy from Belhar

On arrival on the scene, a search commenced for a 15-year-old boy, from Belhar in Cape Town, who reportedly went missing in the surf while swimming. NSRI rescue swimmers and lifeguards conducted sweeping line free dive searches in the surfline.

Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search, no sign of the teenager has been found. Police divers would continue an ongoing search operation.

“Thoughts are with the family of the missing teenager in this difficult time,” Lambinon said.

A short while later, at 2.28pm, NSRI Strandfontein, lifeguards, and emergency services responded to Sonwabi Beach Coastal Park, where a woman was reportedly in difficulty in the surf.

“On arrival on the scene, it was found that a female who had reportedly been in difficulty in the surf had been assisted from the water by a male bystander and she has been treated by EMS paramedics for non-fatal drowning symptoms and transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition and is expected to fully recover,” Lambinon said.

By African News Agency (ANA), editing by Jacques Keet