Two men are missing and “presumed to have drowned” after they waded “into the surf to retrieve their football” on Wednesday‚ the National Sea Rescue Institute’s (NSRI) Richards Bay station reported.
Its duty crew were alerted at 2.49pm to reports that “two men had been missing for an hour following a swimming accident” at beach in the nHlalabanzi area.
An NSRI rescue vehicle joined various SA Police Service units and the IPSS ambulance services in the search.
“It appears that‚ while playing soccer‚ two men had gone into the surf to retrieve their football and were both swept away by strong rip currents‚” a statement said.
“One man went into the surf to try to assist the two men being swept away and he managed to rescue one of the two men‚ and then he reportedly went back into the surf to try to rescue the remaining man but‚ despite reaching the casualty‚ both men were then swept away and disappeared.”
Despite an extensive search‚ no sign of the two men has been found‚ the NSRI said.
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