The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Port Alfred duty crew, South African Police Services (SAPS), and Gardmed ambulance services were activated this morning, 27 August, at 08:44 following reports of an East London man (22) missing in the Kowie River, approximately three kilometres upstream from the Kowie River Mouth.
According to the National spokesperson for NSRI, Craig Lambinon, two NSRI rescue craft, Rescue 11 Alpha and Lotto Challenger, accompanied by an NSRI medic, responded. “On arrival, it was found that there were three men at their boat. We believe two of the men had been freediving when one man failed to surface whilst freediving. His friend was in the water conducting freedive search efforts,” the statement read.
As a result, NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed into the water. During freedive search efforts, the missing man was located and recovered onto an NSRI rescue craft. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) efforts commenced and continued until the rescue craft reached the NSRI Port Alfred Station 11 rescue base.
Gardmed paramedics, assisted by NSRI, continued with CPR efforts, during which time a pulse was restored. En route to the hospital in a Gardmed ambulance, CPR was resumed when the man went into cardiac arrest. On arrival at the hospital, doctors and nurses continued with extensive CPR efforts.
“After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted in the hospital, sadly the man was declared deceased by doctors. Police have opened an inquest file,” Lambinon said.
He added that it remains unknown what caused the East London man to fail to surface whilst freediving.
