A man believed to be in his 30s drowned at Ballito’s Salmon Bay this afternoon (January 13) after getting into difficulty just after 4pm.

While full details are still unclear, KwaDukuza lifeguard superintendent Bongani Xulu confirmed that a distress call was received and that Clarke Bay lifeguards Sizwe Lubanyana and Nkosiphile Diya responded.

Salmon Bay is not a designated swimming beach and does not have lifeguards.

“The guys got there and were able to pull him out, but despite resuscitation efforts, he was declared deceased,” said Xulu.

At around the same time, two people encountered difficulty in the surf at Zinkwazi.

Xulu said lifeguards rescued one swimmer, but a teenage boy remains missing.  The search has been called off for today and will resume tomorrow.

These incidents follow what had been a relatively quiet festive season, which saw one drowning on KwaDukuza beaches.

The tragedy occurred on 2 January, when a 40-year-old man was swept out to sea after going for an early morning swim at Thompson’s Bay.

Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.

Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.