A nine-year-old boy has died after he was found underwater at Kleinmond Main Beach Lagoon on Saturday.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said its Kleinmond duty crew was activated at 3.12pm following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress.
NSRI rescue swimmers and medics, CMC Critical Care Medical ambulance service, ER24, Overstrand Fire and Rescue Service and the South African Police Service responded to the incident.
According to NSRI Kleinmond station commander Schalk Boonzaaier, bystanders were in the process of recovering the child from the water when rescuers arrived.
CPR was started by bystanders, including a clinical practitioner, before NSRI medics and paramedics continued resuscitation efforts.
“Despite extensive CPR efforts, after all efforts to resuscitate the child were exhausted, the child was sadly declared deceased by paramedics,” said NSRI in a statement released on Sunday.
It is believed that the child had been visiting the beach with his family.
His body has been handed over to the police and the Government Health Forensic Pathology Service, while his family is receiving support from the police.
The NSRI has conveyed its condolences to the boy’s family.
Police have opened an inquest docket.
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