Despite great efforts to save the lives of two men, aged 57 and 34, they were declared dead on Umzumbe beach, on the South Coast, yesterday afternoon.

A woman, aged 26, was treated for non-fatal drowning symptoms and she was transported to hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance in a stable condition.

The family was on holiday from Sasolburg when three people were reported to be being in difficulty on the north side of Umzumbe beach, just after 16:22.

NSRI Shelly Beach Station 20 duty crew was activated following reports of a drowning in progress.

Ruahn Beattie, the NSRI Shelly Beach deputy station commander, says lifeguards from Simunye Lifeguard Services responded from Umzumbe beach after being alerted by eyewitnesses.

NSRI rescue swimmers and a NSRI rescue craft, SAPS, Police Search and Rescue and Netcare 911 ambulance services also joined the lifeguards on the scene.

“The lifeguards had rescued a woman and two men from the water, about 800m to a 1km off-shore, bringing them to the beach,” he explains.

Beattie says that sadly after all efforts to resuscitate the two men were exhausted, they were declared dead.

Police have opened an inquest docket.