Teenage boy believed drowned in Zinkwazi

Emergency workers are searching for a 14-year-old boy who who is believed to have drowned while swimming with friends in Zinkwazi this afternoon.

According to NSRI Ballito station 41 commander Quentin Power, at around 2.30pm this afternoon, holidaymakers called for help when the youth got into difficulty in Sandy Cove near the hotel.

“The NSRI, KwaDukuza Lifeguards and IPSS Medical Rescue all have people out searching for the boy,” said Power.

Also read: Child drowns at Zinkwazi holiday camp

IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Paul Herbst told The Courier one of the boy’s friends managed to get out of the water and go for help.

He said emergency personnel had craft in the water along with drones and swimmers attempting to find the boy.

“At the moment the current is heading south so it is possible he will be carried that way, though sometimes drowning victims’ bodies will stay underwater,” he said.

Herbst said the search had been called off for the evening and would be picked up again first thing tomorrow morning.

“We will be heading out again from 6am tomorrow morning with boats and jetskis.

“The Lenmed/Ethekweni emergency helicopter will also be launched and perform an aerial search from Salt Rock all the way up to Zinkwazi, which will help a lot.”

The NSRI has released a statement urging beachgoers to exercise particular caution while on the beach due to the current full moon spring tide.

Also read: 10 ways to avoid drowning on your beach holiday

According to their statement, Saturday’s full moon and the spring tide will lead to extreme highs and lows in the normal tidal fluctuation, which will in turn cause the Dolphin Coast’s notorious rip tides to be even more dangerous.

The effects of the full moon spring tide are expected to last until after Christmas.

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