A man, police believe to be involved in drugs, escaped arrest last night by swimming from Clarke Bay to Zimbali beach in Ballito.

Umhlali police spokesperson Vinny Pillay says the police were conducting roadblocks around the precinct.

“As soon as he saw police vehicles, he started running towards the sea [and dived in].”

Paul Herbst from Medi Response KZN, says rescue swimmers entered the water in a bid to bring the man back to shore.

Watch video of the man swimming away here.

“The man was wholly uncooperative and refused to return to shore.

“He was a strong swimmer. Equally he was aggressive in warding off his would be rescuers with attempts to push and hold one of rescuers under water.”

The rescuers abandoned their efforts to coax the man to shore, when it became too dangerous to continue.

“He continued swimming until he came out at Zimbali and ran away,“ says Pillay.

Pillay says police, together with security companies, KwaDukuza crime prevention, CPF and the youth desk were operating the roadblocks.