Teenage boy drowns at Durban’s North Beach

A 13-YEAR-OLD boy died after an incident at Durban’s North Beach at the weekend.

ER24’s Russel Meiring said their paramedics arrived on the scene at midday on Saturday and found the lifeguards doing CPR on the boy. He said the paramedics took over CPR and provided advanced life support.

“Unfortunately, after 40 minutes, no vital signs returned, and the child was declared dead. Two girls, who had also been assisted by the lifeguards, were treated and transported to a nearby hospital for further assessment.

“Two other children were transported privately before the arrival of paramedics,” said Meiring.

In a separate incident on Saturday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said its Ballito crew was activated following reports of a vessel that had overturned with four local fishermen on board. The fishermen were exiting the Tugela River Mouth.

“The vessel was being swept further out to the sea in strong currents caused by the Tugela River’s outgoing flow and the draining tide compounded by the full moon spring tide. By that stage, they were about one nautical mile offshore,” said NSRI Ballito station commander, Quentin Power.

The NSRI Ballito crew responded by sea with their inflatable boat and the sea rescue vehicle by road along with their shore crew and swimmers. Power said they found two local private craft in attendance at the fishermen’s craft with the Tugela Lifesaving lifeguards, who had paddled out from the beach.

“Together they had rescued two from the water and had rescued two of the fishermen from the upturned hull of their craft into the private boats.”

The four men were assessed by paramedics on the shore and one was found to have sustained a slight shoulder injury.

The fishing vessel was towed to the shore by the NSRI.

The NSRI commended the ski-boats who went to the assistance of the fishermen, the Tugela lifeguards, the Tugela fishing community, the Tugela Ski-boat Club members and emergency services for their assistance with the rescue.