A man has gone missing while swimming at a beach in Wilderness on the Garden Route. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) was activated at 11.45am on Sunday after the man’s drowning was reported to be in progress.
The incident occurred at Lientjies Klip, Wilderness Beach.
The sea rescue craft Clemengold Rescuer was launched along with an NSRI rescue vehicle, metro rescue vehicle, and assistance from South African Police Services (SAPS).
Western Cape Emergency Medical Services (EMS) also responded.
“On arrival on the scene, a search commenced for a 26-year-old Oudtshoorn man on a day trip to the coast with family and friends who had gone missing in the surf while swimming,” NSRI said. “Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search no sign of the missing man has been found and a police dive unit are continuing in an ongoing search operation. Thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing man in this difficult time. Police have opened an investigation.”
The NSRI was also activated at 5.15pm on Friday, as a they had received reports of a drowning in progress on Wilderness Main Beach.
“On arrival on the scene we found local surfer, Phillip Crankshaw, had rescued an adult male British tourist from the surf after the tourist had been caught in rip currents while swimming. The casualty was transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a stable condition as a precaution for treatment and observations for non-fatal drowning symptoms,” the NSRI said.
Picture: NSRI/Twitter