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Local News|
Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - Web posted at 8:25:04 GMT School trip ends in tragedy CAPE TOWN - A 13-year-old Namibian boy who was swept out to sea while swimming on Sunday was presumed drowned as police divers resumed their search yesterday, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said. |
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Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the schoolboy was washed out to sea after he and three of his friends were caught in a suspected rip tide on Sunday at Strandfontein near Vredendal in the Western Cape. The boy and his friends were returning to Namibia after a school trip to the Western Cape when they decided to swim at 10h30, Lambinon said. The boy's friends managed to swim safely to shore. "At this stage full rescue operations have been launched. A police dive unit as well as three members of the public - one with dive equipment and two with rubber ducks - are also trying to find him." Lambinon said the NSRI were urgently trying to contact the family of the boy. He said around 40 pupils in grade seven and five adult supervisors were in the school tour group. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre was activated to assist in co-ordinating a search and rescue operation. NSRI Mykonos dispatched a 4x4 vehicle towing a rescue craft to the scene. The Boland and Cape Town Police Dive Units and Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services responded and a helicopter was also dispatched to assist in the search. All ships in the area were asked to be on the lookout for the missing boy. Poor visibility both in the air and in water, as well as strong undercurrents and strong surface rip currents hampered the search on Sunday. "Trauma counselling has been conducted for the tour group to help them to deal with this tragedy and efforts are underway to provide support and to console the family of the missing child," said Lambinon. Nampa-Sapa |
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PO Box 20783 - Windhoek - 42 John Meinert Street Tel: +264 (61) 279600 - Fax: +264 (61) 279602
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