WILDERNESS NEWS - A local man drowned this weekend in the Touw River Lagoon despite all efforts to rescue him.

Mike Vonk, NSRI Wilderness duty controller, said: At 15:49, Sunday, 1 April, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated following reports of a drowning in progress in the Touw River Lagoon.

SA National Parks rangers, the SA police and EMS were also activated.

“Our NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the scene and on arrival it was confirmed that a local man aged in his late 40's, at a picnic with friends, had entered the water to swim when he got into difficulty.

“A friend had entered the water to try to help him but also got into difficulties and the friend was able to get out of the water unassisted and he was not injured. The man who drowned had at that stage disappeared under water,” explained Vonk.

Two NSRI rescue swimmers entered the water and immediately started free dive sweeping line search efforts and they were joined by a further four NSRI rescue swimmers and all six rescue swimmers conducted a coordinated sweeping line search.

During the search the man was located and recovered from the water and the NSRI medical crew initiated CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) efforts, but all CPR efforts were exhausted and the man was declared deceased by EMS paramedics.

The body of the man has been taken into the care of the forensic pathology services and police have opened an inquest docket.

NSRI and SANParks conveyed their condolences to family and friends of the deceased man.

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