File picture: NSRI File picture: NSRI
DURBAN - A spearfisherman, believed to be in his early 60s, collapsed and died at a beach near Umkomaas on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast on Friday afternoon, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.
NSRI Rocky Bay duty crew were alerted at 2.40pm on Friday following reports from the Amanzimtoti beach office of a drowning in progress at Umkomaas beach, on the south side of the beach, NSRI Rocky Bay deputy station commander Nicki Gibson said in a statement.
Paramedics from ER24 ambulance service, the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality fire and rescue services, the Amanzimtoti beach office, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) were also activated, Gibson said
"Rescue and emergency services resources arriving on the scene found bystander CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] efforts in progress on a local man, believed to be aged in his early 60s, on the shore.
"Paramedics continued with CPR, but after all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly he was declared deceased," Gibson said.
It appeared that the man had been crayfishing and spearfishing in the sea in the area with his brother and a friend. While they were returning to the shore, the man reportedly "collapsed unconscious while in the water from unknown causes".
The man's brother and the friend were able to get the man to the shore where they initiated CPR. Police had opened an inquest docket and condolences had been were conveyed to family and friends of the man, Gibson said.