East man who drowned in Eastern Cape to be remembered
Beyers Coetzee and a group of friends were in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape in March, when his attempt to save friends whose kayak had capsized, led to him drowning.
A Pretoria East man who drowned while on holiday at a beach in the Eastern Cape, will be remembered as a caring father who touched people’s lives.
A fun outing at the beach with friends turned tragic when Beyers Coetzee swam into the sea in an attempt to assist friends whose kayak had capsized. According to his ex-wife Ronel, Coetzee and friends were at the Coffee Bay beach on March 19 when the group decided to take their kayak into the sea, leaving him on the beach.
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“He saw from the beach how the sea current took them in.
“He ran into the sea and started swimming to the kayak,” she said.
“He tried to get onto the kayak to row to them to try and save them, capsized and was taken by the sea.
” Ronel said the group of friends, who were wearing life jackets, were washed out of the sea safely 30-40 minutes later, but Coetzee did not resurface.
They then contacted the authorities, who launched a search for him.
For four days a search and rescue team, divers as well as the K9 unit searched for his body. “He was found on Wednesday 23 March,” Ronel said.
“A DNA sample had to be taken because they were unable to identify him.
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“I suppose the body was very battered because that’s a very rocky area and he was found four days after he disappeared.” DNA samples identified Coetzee last week.
Confirming the incident, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said that a missing persons enquiry was opened on Saturday morning, 19 March 2022.
Four days later, at about 10:00, the body of a man believed to have washed out from the sea was found at Agates Terrace Beach in Port St Johns.
“A forensic analysis was conducted, of which the results later confirmed the body that was found was that of Beyers Pieterse Coetzee,” he said.
Ronel described her ex-husband as a selfless man who always put others first.
“He made an impact in the lives of everybody he met.
“He was very kind and thoughtful, also very impulsive, and that’s why he did what he did. But he would always put everyone else ahead of himself.
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“He was an amazing father and was really close to his sons. His whole world revolved around them. She said their sons, aged 21 and 24, were taking the death of their father very hard.
Coetzee’s niece Amoré said while the family was struggling to come to terms with their loss, they were supporting one another during this tough time.
“He was much loved and there will be a memorial service for him this Saturday in Pretoria.
“His ashes will be scattered in his sister, Celeste Coetzee’s, fairy garden in Swellendam, which she is dedicating to him.”
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