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2 weeks ago
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Search teams discovered a body during the search for a 13-year-old boy who went missing at Berg River in Laaiplek, Western Cape.
- The body of a 13-year-old boy who went missing in the Berg River in Laaiplek was recovered on Friday.
- Rescue efforts involved multiple agencies, including NSRI rescue swimmers, local divers, police and paramedics.
- Despite extensive efforts, the boy was located under water beneath a jetty and declared dead.
The body of a teenager who went missing in the Berg River in Rooibaai, Laaiplek, on the West Coast of the Western Cape, was retrieved on Friday.
According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), at 15:25, duty crew in St Helena Bay were activated following reports from the provincial government’s Health EMS of a drowning in progress.
“NSRI rescue swimmers responded, while the NSRI duty crew responded to the NSRI St Helena Bay Station 44 rescue base, where the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Santam II was launched,” said spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
“The SA Police Service, WC Government Health EMS rescue squad and ambulance, and West Coast Medical Rescue responded.”
Lambinon said that, upon arrival at the scene, it was found that a local 13-year-old boy had gone missing underwater.
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He said police dispatched its Water Policing and Diving Services, while two local male divers, Good Samaritans, had entered the water to conduct a dive search.
NSRI teams conducted surface water and shoreline searches, he added.
“The teenager was located underwater, under a jetty, and he was recovered to the shore by the Good Samaritan divers,” he said.
“Paramedics medically assessed the teenager, who was sadly declared deceased.”
Lambinon said police have opened an inquest docket.
“The body of the teenager has been taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services,” he added.
