Boy, 8, drowns in lagoon, kayak paddler rescued

THE body of an 8-year-old boy, who drowned after he had gone swimming in the Mzamba lagoon at the Wild Coast Sun Casino Wild Waves Water Park in Port Edward, has been recovered by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said a NSRI Port Edward duty crew, a police search crew and Med-Evac ambulance service had all responded to reports from lifeguards about a drowning in progress at the lagoon shortly after midday.

“On arrival on the scene a lifeguard using a Malibu rescue board was conducting a search on the lagoon, where it was confirmed that an 8-yearold child from Mzamba was missing in the lagoon, reportedly while swimming.

“During an extensive search operation police search and rescue divers located and recovered the body of the child from the water and, sadly, the child was declared deceased by paramedics.

“The body of the child has been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services,” Lambinon said.

Police had opened an inquest docket, he said. He conveyed condolences to the family, who were being assisted by the police .

In another rescue incident, NSRI Hermanus station commander Deon Langenhoven said the NSRI Hermanus duty crew had rescued a sea kayak paddler who had appeared to be in difficulty on the Klein River Lagoon at Voelklip, Hermanus, yesterday.

The Cape Town man’s kayak had capsized and he had been holding on to his kayak when he was rescued on to the NSRI vessel, said Langenhoven.

“He was brought safely ashore and after being checked by our NSRI medics, he required no further assistance and EMS were stood down,” added Langenhoven.