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17 January 2025
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Boy dies after dramatic Bonza Bay Beach mass rescue, East London
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A boy, who was among eight people who were pulled from the sea in a dramatic mass rescue at Bonza Bay Beach, died in a private hospital in East London on Friday night, 10 January 2025. Catherine Prentis, NSRI East London station commander, said, “At 18h05, NSRI East London duty crew were activated following reports from Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) lifeguards engaged in a mass rescue operation at Bonza Bay Beach, Beacon Bay, East London. The NSRI rescue craft Spirit of DHL was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers responded in our NSRI rescue vehicle and joined BCM lifeguards, The South Africa Police Services, Police Water Policing and Diving Services and Alderson’ ambulance services on the scene together with Eastern Cape Government Health EMS.”
“Two Buffalo City Municipality lifeguards, using a Malibu rescue board and a torpedo rescue buoy, had successfully rescued eight persons, males and females, children and adults, from the water.
Extensive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts were conducted by paramedics and lifeguards on a (believed to be) six-year-old child. The patient was transported to hospital by Aldersons ambulance in a critical condition with resuscitation efforts continuing. An off duty EMS paramedic, who happened to be at the area, and one of the lifeguards, initiated resuscitation efforts on the child, that the lifeguards had rescued from the surf zone.
While resuscitation efforts were underway on the child, the second lifeguard continued to rescue persons from the water in relays of at least two at a time, with the assistance of the Malibu rescue board.
A patient was transported to hospital by Alderson’s Ambulance in a stable condition for further care.
The remaining six survivors were evaluated by paramedics and lifeguards and they are reported to be stable and in care.
“With all casualties reportedly accounted for, as a precaution, NSRI rescue swimmers entered the water to free dive search and conduct wading sweeping line search efforts, in the surf line, together with our rescue craft that searched within the surf zone, the backline and beyond, as a precaution.”
It remains unconfirmed the causes; it appears that the casualties may have been caught in rip currents suddenly - Police are investigating. All thoughts are with those affected. Further information is not immediately available but all services remained on high alert. The BCM lifeguards are commended for their efforts.
A family friend, speaking on behalf of the child’s mother, Yandiswa Mdingi, confirmed that Somila Kameni, 13, of Mdantsane, had died in hospital after being pulled from the water. Somila was at the beach with their neighbour, Linda Hina, 63, from Mdantsane, who wept with grief when speaking to the Dispatch from the West Bank morgue, where the family were waiting to collect the body on Monday.
Source: NSRI, Dispatch Live
“Two Buffalo City Municipality lifeguards, using a Malibu rescue board and a torpedo rescue buoy, had successfully rescued eight persons, males and females, children and adults, from the water.
Extensive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) efforts were conducted by paramedics and lifeguards on a (believed to be) six-year-old child. The patient was transported to hospital by Aldersons ambulance in a critical condition with resuscitation efforts continuing. An off duty EMS paramedic, who happened to be at the area, and one of the lifeguards, initiated resuscitation efforts on the child, that the lifeguards had rescued from the surf zone.
While resuscitation efforts were underway on the child, the second lifeguard continued to rescue persons from the water in relays of at least two at a time, with the assistance of the Malibu rescue board.
A patient was transported to hospital by Alderson’s Ambulance in a stable condition for further care.
The remaining six survivors were evaluated by paramedics and lifeguards and they are reported to be stable and in care.
“With all casualties reportedly accounted for, as a precaution, NSRI rescue swimmers entered the water to free dive search and conduct wading sweeping line search efforts, in the surf line, together with our rescue craft that searched within the surf zone, the backline and beyond, as a precaution.”
It remains unconfirmed the causes; it appears that the casualties may have been caught in rip currents suddenly - Police are investigating. All thoughts are with those affected. Further information is not immediately available but all services remained on high alert. The BCM lifeguards are commended for their efforts.
A family friend, speaking on behalf of the child’s mother, Yandiswa Mdingi, confirmed that Somila Kameni, 13, of Mdantsane, had died in hospital after being pulled from the water. Somila was at the beach with their neighbour, Linda Hina, 63, from Mdantsane, who wept with grief when speaking to the Dispatch from the West Bank morgue, where the family were waiting to collect the body on Monday.
Source: NSRI, Dispatch Live