A male child was discovered floating face down in the ocean off an East London beach in the Eastern Cape.
The gruesome scene was discovered on Sunday, December 1.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said at around 2.30pm, the NSRI East London duty crew was activated in response to eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress in the surf zone at Eastward Ho, Gonubie.
Unfortunately, this was among a spate of drownings in the country as the number of the tragic incidents seem to have increased since November.
"Lifesaving South Africa notes with concern the spate of drownings within the month of November 2024 in KZN alone.
"The number of fatal drownings in the area of South of Durban to the lower South Coast is of concern. It is quite apparent that the warmer weather is driving people to recreate along beaches and other water bodies," said Lifesaving South Africa.
However, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape have not been spared from the tragic incidents. With individuals, often young people drowning.
In November, a 12-year-old girl drowned in False Bay.
"The girl was transported to hospital, reportedly by private transport, but she was sadly declared deceased on arrival at hospital," said the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
The man who attempted to rescue the child went missing in the water and is presumed dead.
The NSRI also noted the alarming trend, and urged the public to swim at lifeguard-protected beaches after responding to multiple incidents along the coast and inland.
"NSRI, lifeguards, police and the emergency services are appealing to the public to swim at beaches protected by lifeguards.
"Always have safety top of mind in and around coastal waters, on inland waters, rivers, lakes and dams, and your swimming pool at home should be cloaked in preventative safety measures," said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
The institute urged parents and carers to ensure their children have responsible and sober adult supervision in and around water.
They also encouraged bathers to avoid swimming when under the influence of alcohol.
Lifesaving South Africa issued a stern warning that individuals should only swim where lifeguards are on duty, and not on unpatrolled beaches.
Bathers should at all times follow the lifeguard's instructions and stay between the red and yellow flags.
Adults should always supervise young children around pools and avoid leaving them alone in bathtubs or near water containers.
While beaches are popular for swimming, dams, lakes and rivers are often where those who live inland go to cool off. However, they can possess their own unique dangers.
Hayden Levi Lynx, who was a Grade 9 student at Wentworth Secondary and member of the Park United Soccer Club, drowned in the Merewent swimming pool.
In Limpopo, two young boys drowned in the Ngwaritsi River in Limpopo during a fishing trip.
Two boys who were six and eight-years-old also drowned at the Willow Dam in the Eastern Cape.
"Never dive into rivers or dams, as the water may be shallow or filled with debris and it will result in serious injury! The same general rule of thumb applies if you want to cool off in a dam or river, stay in the shallows and water should be below your waist.
"Because rivers and dams often have murky water and you can’t see the bottom, be careful of where you step, a sudden hole or the end of a rock shelf could get you completely submerged and into trouble in a heartbeat," warned the South African Adventure Industry Association.
They also advised that if you are being swept downstream in a river, float on your back with your limbs on the surface of the water and aim for the side or bank.
If you can, you should avoid getting caught under any type of barrier in the current as you may become stuck underneath.
"If you see someone in distress or being swept away, throw or hand them something to hold onto that you can pull them to the side with or that they can hang onto to help them float. Never go in or near flooding rivers or the overflow of dams."
IOL