A 49-year-old woman believed to be from Boksburg has drowned at Margate beach on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.
NSRI Shelly Beach station commander Jeremiah Jackson said his duty crew was sent to the scene just before 14:00 following reports of a drowning in progress at the Margate pier from Ray Nkonyeni Municipal Protection Services.
Jackson said the NSRI rescue vehicle with their rescue swimmers onboard, police, Tower 13 Lifeguard Services lifeguards, Ray Nkonyeni fire and rescue services and Med-Evac ambulance services responded to the drowning.
When they arrived, they found the woman in shallow surf near the beach after reportedly being caught in rip currents south of the Margate fishing pier, an area not protected by duty lifeguards, according to Jackson.
"Tower 13 lifeguards, arriving on the scene, pulled the female out of shallow surf and initiated CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) efforts which were continued by paramedics but sadly after all CPR efforts were exhausted the female was declared deceased," he said.
Her body has been taken into the care of the forensic pathology services and police have opened an inquest docket, added Jackson.
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