Cape Town – A 17-year-old teenager and a man in his late 20s have drowned in separate incidents on Sunday afternoon, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.

The teenager drowned at Strand near Cape Town and the other victim drowned at Kariga River mouth, Kenton-On-Sea, in the Eastern Cape.

They both drowned shortly after 16:30.

"The NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority following reports of a male who disappeared in the surf at Bends on the Beach, Strand Beach.

Strand Surf Lifesaving lifeguards had already initiated a search for the 17-year-old local male who disappeared under water from unknown causes shortly after entering the water to swim," said Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesperson.

Lambinon said during an air, sea and shoreline search, which included the Skymed rescue helicopter, the NSRI sea rescue craft, a Law Enforcement Marine Unit jet-ski and rescue swimmers and lifeguards conducting sweeping line free dive search efforts in the water, the body of the teenager was located and recovered from the water and brought to the shoreline where paramedics conducted extensive Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts.

"But sadly after all efforts to resuscitate the teenager were exhausted he has been declared deceased by paramedics," he said.

"Police have opened an inquest," he said.

He said trauma counsellors were attending to the family of the boy.

Lambinon said the man from Port Alfred disappeared under water while swimming across the river mouth with a friend.

"On arrival on the scene NSRI Port Alfred rescue swimmers joined lifeguards and a sweeping line free dive search was conducted. During the search efforts, the body of the man was located under water and recovered and sadly the man has been declared deceased," he said.

The police have opened an inquest, he said.