Body of teen recovered following drowning at Limpopo mine

The body of a 14-year-old boy has been recovered following a drowning incident at Begasdorp Mine View in Limpopo.

The grim discovery was made in the Mopani District on Wednesday, 04 February, at about 3pm.

Swimming

According to reports, the teenager was swimming with friends in a water-filled excavation when he drowned.

Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the excavation was allegedly dug by illegal miners and later filled with rainwater.

“A search and rescue operation was activated on the same day and resumed on Thursday, 05 February. The body was recovered by the SAPS Search and Rescue Team, including the SAPS Water Wing Unit, assisted by Politsi K9. Divers recovered the body at a depth of approximately five metres.”

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Inquest

Ledwaba said police have opened an inquest docket to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, conveyed her condolences to the bereaved family.

Hadebe cautioned communities, especially parents and guardians, to discourage children from swimming in any unauthorised water bodies, including abandoned or illegal mining excavations.

“These areas are extremely dangerous and pose a serious risk to life,” said Hadebe.

Table Mountain drowning

Meanwhile, a man died in what appeared to have been a drowning incident in Table Mountain Dam.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said it was alerted by the Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services Control following reports of a drowning in progress at De Villiers Dam, Constantia Nek, on Sunday.

NSRI Hout Bay coxswain Chris Westcott said on arrival on the scene, NSRI rescue swimmers initiated a search in De Villiers Dam for the man.

“Police divers took over the search efforts and located and recovered the body of the man from underwater.

“Sadly, the man was declared deceased by paramedics. The body of the man was taken into the care ofthe Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services,” Westcott said.

Westcott said police opened an inquest docket.

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