SEDGEFIELD NEWS - Three people lost their lives on Sunday 4 February after they are suspected to have drowned in the Sedgefield Lagoon in the afternoon.
According to Mike Vonk, NSRI station commander at National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 23 Wilderness, they received the initial reports of a potential drowning in progress at 12:30 on Sunday.
"NSRI Wilderness, ER24 ambulance Services, NSRI rescue swimmers, an off-duty SA National Parks ranger, the SA Police Services, WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) and Knysna Fire & Rescue Services responded to Sedgefield Lagoon," Vonk said.
Upon arrival at the scene, NSRI found a SANParks honorary ranger carrying out CPR efforts, on an adult female. "NSRI medics continued CPR and were joined by an off-duty ER24 paramedic."
The paramedics continued with CPR and thankfully signs of life were restored to the patient on the scene.
She was then transported to hospital by ER24 ambulance in a critical condition, where extensive efforts by doctors and nurses continued.
"It appears, from eyewitness reports, that three people may have been swimming together in the lagoon when the eyewitness noticed one of the swimmers, a lady, lifeless in the water," Vonk explained.
It was this lady who was pulled from the water and received CPR, before she was taken to hospital. However, at that stage the whereabouts of the other two people who were suspected to have been swimming with the lady, were still unknown. Thus, NSRI launched the sea rescue craft Lavinia.
"NSRI, police divers and emergency services conducted a search for those two persons, including a water search, but there were no leads at the time as to where they are or if they are missing," Vonk said.
It would only be later that day when at 18:02 NSRI Wilderness was alerted to reports of a body floating in the lagoon, nearby to the scene where the lady had been recovered earlier in the day.
"NSRI Wilderness, SA Police Services, an SA National Parks ranger, Water Policing and Dive Services, Knysna Fire & Rescue Services, WC Government Health Forensic Pathology Service and WC Government Health EMS responded."
The body of an adult female was recovered and sadly declared deceased by the EMS paramedic. Police divers then initiated a further search for the other person.
During a dive search operation police divers located and recovered the body of an adult male from under the water.
"The two deceased were taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. An inquest docket has been opened by police."
The first lady who had been transported to hospital earlier in the day remained in a critical condition in hospital.
"Sadly, later that night, the patient was declared deceased after all efforts by doctors and nurses to save her life were exhausted in hospital. Condolences are conveyed to family and friends of the three deceased."
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