Girl, 12, drowns, man missing in surf at Monwabisi Beach

A 12-year-old girl drowned at Monwabisi Beach on Saturday while a 34-year-old man who tried to rescue her is missing at sea.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Strandfontein station commander Nicky Whitehead said emergency services were alerted at 6.45pm following reports of a drowning in progress at Monwabisi Beach.

Emergency responders had found the girl had been brought onto the beach, and she was “unresponsive”, and a man, unrelated to the child, who had tried to save her, was missing in the surf, said Ms Whitehead.

“It appears that the man had attempted to rescue the girl after she was reportedly caught in rip currents but then he got into difficulties before disappearing in the water,” she said.

The girl was transported to hospital by private vehicle but was declared dead on arrival. Police have opened an inquest docket.

Despite an extensive search by the NSRI, City lifeguards, and emergency services, the missing man had not been found, but search efforts were ongoing, said Ms Whitehead.

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