GLENTANA NEWS - Following the drowning of a man near Glentana yesterday evening, 26 December, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Mossel Bay released a statement on the incident.

According to JC Roos, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, his crew was activated at 19:59 after reports of a drowning in progress in the surf zone at Gleniqua, near Glentana Beach.

The NSRI rescue craft (St Blaize Rescuer) was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers, the NSRI rescue vehicle, Mossel Bay's fire and rescue services, SAPS, sea border police, and ER24 ambulance services responded.

Roos said, it appears that a boy (about six years old) and the boy’s uncle (24) were on a sandbank in shallow water when the man reportedly stepped off the bank and was caught in rip currents, and swept out to sea.

“On arrival at the scene, it was found that the child was safe on the beach - after being rescued by a good Samaritan man. The child was not injured.”

An NSRI Mossel Bay rescue swimmer (from NSRI Gauteng, who volunteers for Mossel Bay on holiday), a fire and rescue services rescue swimmer and the good Samaritan man, all launched into the surf, swimming in the direction where eyewitnesses pointed out the man.

Roos said they reached the man, who was unresponsive in the water, and together they swam him to shore where CPR efforts commenced. 

After all efforts by paramedics to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly he was declared dead.

The body of the man has been taken into the care of police and forensic pathology services.

Police have opened an inquest docket. 

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