57-year-old man drowned at Umtentweni Beach on Saturday

A 57-year-old man was declared deceased after being rescued from the surf zone at Umtentweni Beach, situated on the KZN South Coast, on Saturday.

The alarm was raised when two local Good Samaritans, responding to distress signals, discovered the man unresponsive in shallow waters.

The first to respond were two locals, a former lifeguard and commercial diver, alongside the son of a local commercial charter fishing operator. Upon reaching the scene, they acted swiftly, removing the man from the water and initiating CPR on the beach.

Their prompt action drew the attention of nearby paramedics from Med-Evac and Mi7 ambulance services, who joined in the desperate attempts to revive the man.

Rescue efforts commenced with high hopes, yet despite the extensive CPR administered by both the Good Samaritans and the paramedics, their valiant efforts yielded no success. Tragically, the man was declared deceased after all resuscitation attempts were exhausted.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Shelly Beach duty crew, along with the South African Police Services and K9 Search and Rescue WPDS, assisted in managing the situation and conducting an investigation.

NSRI Shelly Beach coxswain, Glen Preston, said the authorities have since opened an Inquest docket as they work to uncover the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident.

The body of the deceased has been placed in the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services, allowing for the necessary procedures to take place sensitively and respectfully.

IOL