Body of missing boy, 13, brought ashore by police at Long Beach

THE BODY of a 13-year-old boy swept out to sea at Kommetjie has been recovered by police divers in the shallow surf at Long Beach.

Eric Faulmann, from Ocean View, disappeared when he was swept out to sea on Thursday.

His body was found yesterday after it was spotted by a resident. The resident alerted the search party, NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said.

The body has since been handed over to forensic pathology services.

Llewellen Faulmann, Eric’s father, said the family was devastated at the news, but that they had been receiving support from their neighbours.

He described Eric as a wonderful boy well-known in their community.

Eric was at the beach with his father, his sister and a cousin when he went missing. They were enjoying the last day of the cousin’s stay.

“He was swimming in the ocean with his cousin, while I was looking after his eightyear-old sister on the beach. Then I looked into the water and realised that something was wrong.”

Faulmann dived into the water and swam towards his son as he disappeared under the waves. He almost managed to grab his son three times, but the currents kept dragging the boy deeper into the water.

Faulmann alerted nearby surfers, who contacted the NSRI and the police. Divers, police and a helicopter combed the area looking for Eric, but could find no trace of him.

Meanwhile, the search is continuing for the bodies of three cousins from Kalksteenfontein, who were presumed to have drowned at Hawston last weekend.

Shelton Brewis, 12, Antonio Fisher, 15, and Rojei Spannenberg, 19, were swept out to sea last Sunday. Two of their cousins, Preslin and Tiaan Ross, were caught in the same rip tide but managed to swim back to shore.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said the search had been called off, but coastal patrols were still being held in the hope of finding any sign of the three.

Two other drownings were also reported this week.

Jacobus Bartus, a 23-yearold woman from Kraaifontein, drowned in a tidal pool at Strandfontein last Sunday, despite a lifesaver’s attempts to resuscitate her.

A 14-year-old boy, who has yet to be named, drowned at a municipal pool in Piketberg the same day.

kowthar.solomons@inl.co.za