GEORGE NEWS - A rafting trip down the Storms River on Saturday 26 September ended in tragedy after a river guide fell overboard and drowned.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said Plettenberg Bay NSRI volunteers responded to a call for help from the Storms River Mouth on Saturday afternoon. 

They were informed that nine people, including two river guides and seven guests, had not reached their destination following a paddle down the river earlier that day.

When the crew arrived they found that eight of the nine people in the group had finally arrived at their destination, but reported that one of the river guides had fallen into the water further upriver.

Lambinon said one of the members of the group managed to recover the 31-year-old river guide – a Storms River local – from the water and performed bystander CPR efforts on the man for an extended period. "Sadly the man was not revived," Lambinon said.

The guide's body was left at the scene and at first light on Sunday 27 September, NSRI Oyster Bay volunteers assisted police, the police diving unit, SANParks rangers and the Eastern Cape Government Health Forensic Pathology Services to recover his remains.

"The body of the man has been taken into the care of EC Government Health Forensic Pathology Services and police have opened an inquest docket," said NSRI Oyster Bay station commander Lodewyk van Rensburg. 

"Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man."

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