What was supposed to be a quiet and fun family day out to the beach turned into any parent’s worst nightmare after a seven-year-old toddler washed out to sea and her limp body was recovered hours later by an unknown beachgoer in Umhlanga, KZN, on Sunday.

Hannah Chetty celebrated her seventh birthday on Tuesday last week and wanted to spend the weekend with her family, who resides in Parlock, Durban.

A family spokesperson and cousin, Josephine Nathaniel, says that Chetty’s death has left the family traumatised. She described the events that unfolded before the incident that occurred on Sunday afternoon.

“I went along with Hannah, her two siblings, and their mum to the beach while her dad met us there. The children and their mum, Wendy, decided to dip their toes into the water at the edge of the shore,” explains Nathaniel.

It is believed that the tide took a turn for the worse, which pulled the four family members into the water.

Also read: Girl (7) drowns at uMhlanga beach, boy (9) missing in Sandy Bay

“All of them were pulled into the water. Hannah’s dad rushed to their aid in an attempt to pull them back safely and managed to pull his wife first. A wave pushed their son to the shore while he held onto his daughters so they would not go any further into the ocean,” Nathaniel says.

However, in the gushing water, it is alleged that the dad, Reuben Chetty, had let go of his youngest child’s hand.

Nathaniel explains, “Following this, he pulled his elder daughter towards him, but Hannah had already quickly drifted away from him into deeper waters. A good Samaritan who had a floater volunteered to go into the water and save her. We tried getting hold of any lifeguards, but there weren’t any around us.”

After Hannah had exited the water, paramedics tried for around an hour, using CPR and oxygen, to revive her.

“They tried for so long. We had hope because, when we saw her come out of the water, she was conscious. This has really broken our family and our hearts,” explains Nathaniel.

KZN VIP spokesperson Gareth Naidoo says: “We were alerted to a drowning incident by onlookers who watched helplessly as they couldn’t get to a child who was swept away by a wave at Umhlanga Beach. Lifeguards were alerted together with Netcare 911 emergency teams and managed to recover the child, commencing resuscitation for more than 30 minutes on scene.

“After all attempts were made to save the child, she was sadly declared dead. Moments leading up to the incident are unconfirmed and pending police investigation.”

Funeral arrangements are underway and are planned for this week.