Learn to swim, cops told

THE number of drownings at villages in the North has led to people calling on the Police to teach reservists to swim and to purchase flotation devices.

At present, if a person drowns villagers find it difficult to get them out of water wells, earth dams and natural pools. Usually the local Police also struggle as many of them cannot swim and also do not have life belts or boats needed to retrieve a body from water.When called to the scene of a drowning, Oshakati’s Special Reserve Unit has to call on the Special Reserve Unit in Windhoek if they need to recover a body.In a typical situation, a young villager, Joseph Hamukwaya Haipinge (26) from Okadila, drowned in a local earth dam while swimming with other young men on Monday afternoon.The Oshakati Police were called in to get him out but had to call Windhoek’s Special Reserve Police Unit led by Warrant Officer Willem David Sy.They arrived in Oshakati on Tuesday night with their equipment and on Wednesday morning went to the scene where they found parents, relatives and friends of the drowned Haipinge waiting for them.Traditionally, if a person drowns, the family, relatives and friends stay at the site until the body is recovered.Police have confirmed that there are numerous drowning incidents in the North every year.Usually the local Police also struggle as many of them cannot swim and also do not have life belts or boats needed to retrieve a body from water.When called to the scene of a drowning, Oshakati’s Special Reserve Unit has to call on the Special Reserve Unit in Windhoek if they need to recover a body.In a typical situation, a young villager, Joseph Hamukwaya Haipinge (26) from Okadila, drowned in a local earth dam while swimming with other young men on Monday afternoon.The Oshakati Police were called in to get him out but had to call Windhoek’s Special Reserve Police Unit led by Warrant Officer Willem David Sy.They arrived in Oshakati on Tuesday night with their equipment and on Wednesday morning went to the scene where they found parents, relatives and friends of the drowned Haipinge waiting for them.Traditionally, if a person drowns, the family, relatives and friends stay at the site until the body is recovered.Police have confirmed that there are numerous drowning incidents in the North every year.