Six-year-old child missing after being swept out to sea in Zimbali, KZN

A six-year-old boy is missing after he and his mother were swept out to sea while playing in the waves in Zimbali, KwaZulu-Natal.

“NSRI Ballito and NSRI Durban duty crews were activated following a request for assistance from IPSS Medical Rescue on the scene at Zimbali, North Coast, reporting a six-year-old male child missing in the surf,” the National Sea Rescue Institute said in a statement in Sunday.

According to the NSRI, the mother was reportedly assisted to the shore but the child went missing in the surfline.

“Despite an extensive sea and shoreline search, no sign of the child was found and on Sunday, the SA Police Service, police search and rescue 9 (unit), KwaDukuza municipal lifeguards, NSRI Ballito and IPSS medical rescue continued in an ongoing search operation and they were joined by a private aircraft, members of Salmon Bay Ski-Boat Club with four private vessels, and community members.”

During the night NSRI coast watchers, local security members and Ballito and Zimbali community members conducted shoreline patrols.

The search for the child is continuing.

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