Family distraught as young man drowns, cousin missing

A local family was struck by tragedy this week when two cousins were swept out to sea at the Kariega River Mouth.

Mawethu Yose, 28, was recovered from the water, but sadly died despite resuscitation efforts.

His cousin, Unathi Dyakala, 21, had not yet been found by midday on Wednesday.

The Marselle families had joined for an outing to Kentonon-Sea on Monday February 12. The two cousins were swimming at the mouth at the time.

Police spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said the Kenton-on-Sea police station had received a call at about 2.30pm, alerting them that two men had been washed away at the Kariega River Mouth.

McCarthy said Yose got into difficulty while swimming.

“Mr Unathi Dyakala went into the water to rescue him but he also got into trouble and was swept away by the water,” McCarthy said.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated shortly before 3.30pm.

NSRI Port Alfred rescue swimmers, the SAPS, provincial government health EMS, Hi-Tec Security Services and Gardmed ambulance services responded to the emergency. He said the NSRI craft, Spirit of Kenton, was launched at the Kariega River slipway and began a search at the mouth.

The search later continued upriver with the incoming tide.

Two NSRI rescue vehicles, NSRI crew, police officers and emergency services searched the shoreline of Kenton’s Middle Beach, Main Beach and the Kariega River’s banks.

Lambinon said one of the young men was found a short distance from the river mouth and was recovered from the water, unresponsive, onto the rescue craft, where resuscitation efforts were done.

He was brought to shore and taken into the care of Gardmed paramedics.

“After paramedics exhausted CPR efforts, sadly the man was declared deceased,” Lambinon said.

The search continued for

Dyakala. “But despite the extensive shoreline and water search there remained no sign of him,” Lambinon said in a statement on Tuesday.

The SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services were continuing an ongoing search, McCarthy said.

On Wednesday, McCarthy confirmed that Kenton-on-Sea detectives were investigating an inquest and that Dyakala was still missing.