The child had been visiting the beach with family members when the incident occurred.
A pleasant day at the beach ended in tragedy when a nine-year-old boy drowned. Picture for illustration: NSRI
A pleasant day at the beach ended in tragedy when a nine-year-old boy drowned at Kleinmond Main Beach Lagoon, despite desperate efforts by bystanders, medics and emergency responders to save his life.
The tragic incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon when emergency services were alerted to reports of a child in distress in the water.
Rescue
Witnesses rushed to help and pulled the boy from the lagoon before immediately beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a frantic bid to save him.
Schalk Boonzaaier, station commander of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Kleinmond, said rescue crews were activated shortly after 3pm following reports of a drowning in progress.
“On arrival on the scene, we found bystander Good Samaritans were in the process of recovering a child from the water, and CPR efforts were commenced by bystanders, including a clinical practitioner, on the local nine-year-old male who had been discovered underwater in the lagoon,” Boonzaaier said.
Beach visit
The child had been visiting the beach with family members when the incident occurred.
Members of the NSRI, ambulance services, firefighters and police all responded to the emergency, with rescue medics continuing resuscitation efforts alongside paramedics.
“NSRI medics continued with CPR efforts and were joined on the scene by paramedics,” Boonzaaier said.
“Despite extensive CPR efforts, after all efforts to resuscitate the child were exhausted, the child was sadly declared deceased by paramedics,” he said.
The child’s body was later handed over to police and the Government Health Forensic Pathology Service for further investigation.
Police investigations
Police have opened an inquest docket to determine the circumstances surrounding the drowning.
Boonzaaier conveyed condolences to the grieving family, who are being supported by police following the devastating loss.
“Our deepest condolences are conveyed to the family and loved ones of the deceased child during this difficult time,” he said.
