Update

KNYSNA NEWS – The search for the body of a boy who went missing in the Knysna Estuary this afternoon, has been called off by police divers due to a lack of light available to conduct the search.

Police divers had been in the water in the Ashmead Channel just over an hour before they called off the search just after 18:00, by which time the sun had set and there was little to no light available to continue the search. 

Sadly their attempts to recover the boy's body were not successful, and they will reconvene to continue the search in the morning.

There does however remain hope that the boy's body may surface tonight, as it is spring low tide at approximately 21:30. Failing this, it will once again be spring low tide at approximately 09:00 tomorrow morning, at which point the police will have resumed their search for the boy's body.

According to NSRI Station 12 Commander Jerome Simonis, the incident occurred during the peak of spring high tide this afternoon at about 15:30. NSRI Knysna crews responded to the scene, in the Ashmead Channel between Cathy's Park and Costa Sard, roughly 200 to 300 meters off-shore. "The sea rescue craft Katherine was also launched." Simonis said.

He added that a bystander, believed to be a shoreline angler, went to attempt to rescue the boy in the water at the capsized canoe. "On NSRI rescue swimmers arriving on the scene they swam out and they rescued the good samaritan," Simonis explained. 

The man was brought to shore where he was assisted by SANParks rangers, before being taken to WC Metro EMS paramedics where he received medical treatment. "He has been transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a serious but stable condition."

Thereafter the search commenced for the missing body. The canoe was left submerged so as to act as a beacon and reference point for divers when conducting the search.

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