A 45-year-old man who took his three kids fishing in the Swartvlei, at the Pine Lake Marina, between Sedgefield and Knysna drowned on Friday evening after their boat capsized.

According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the father and his three children aged 16, seven and five were on holiday in George and visiting friends at the Marina when they hired a small private boat to go fishing around 16:00.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said that when they didn't return by nightfall, the man's wife and friends raised the alarm and civilians on jet-skis launched a search party.

"During their search, reportedly at approximately 20:30, they found the three children swimming to shore and only the male child was wearing a life-jacket, although it has been reported that they had all been issued life-jackets, and all three were brought to shore," said Lambinon in  statement.

"Nurses, reportedly on vacation at the resort, treated the children for hypothermia and shock.

"The children reported that earlier the boat that they were on had capsized. They had lost sight of their dad and they started to swim to shore."

Lambinon said that the search continued for the missing father and that the NSRI and the emergency services were alerted at 21:45.

"An extensive water and shoreline search commenced and the two sea rescue craft and the Police boat launched onto Swartvlei and the civilians on jet-skis were arranged into assisting NSRI and the emergency services in a coordinated sweeping line search and grid search."

In the early hours on Saturday morning, the body of the man was eventually found. The small boat and remaining life jackets have not yet been located, said Lambinon.

Police have opened an inquest docket into the drowning.

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