A 15-year-old boy tragically lost his life this afternoon at Blythedale beach when he was swept away by the strong current and drowned, while his friends watched helplessly from the shore.

The accident happened around 12.40 pm and SAPS search and rescue, IPSS medical rescue and KwaDukuza lifeguards were on the scene within ten minutes but it was too late for the young boy who had already disappeared under the water, never to surface alive again.

The grade seven pupil from Nkukwini primary  had apparently snuck away early from school with five of his friends and walked all the way to Blythdale beach to swim in the sea without their parents knowing where they were.

When the boys got into trouble all but one managed to get out.

“The beach had been closed due to rough seas but the boys swam anyway,” said KwaDukuza lifeguard supervisor Bongani Xulu.

He said lifeguard Senza Mchunu was the only lifeguard on duty and had just gone fetch his lunch when he was called back down to the beach. Even he was too late to rescue the teenager who stood little chance against the crashing waves and violent current.

Rescue workers spent four hours trying to find and recover the body until the shore break and mid break got too high and the search had to be called off until first light tomorrow.

IPSS Medical Rescue’s Rodney Meyrick said this kind of body recovery could take days but they will keep searching until the body has been found.