Teenager drowns at Fish Hoek Beach

A 15-year-old boy drowned at Fish Hoek Beach on Saturday, January 20.

Beachgoers looked on from the water below the rocks on Jager’s Walk as paramedics tried to resuscitate the teenager for more than an hour.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the teenager had reportedly dived off rocks into the surf before being rescued from the water by the lifeguards.

Cape Medical Response (CMR) spokesperson Darren Zimmerman said after the teenager had been pulled out of the water, lifesavers and an off-duty doctor had been assisting with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when CMR paramedics arrived.

After more than an hour of CPR the teenager was declared dead, he said. His family arrived shortly afterwards.

A beachgoer said she had only noticed that there had been a drowning after paramedics arrived at the scene and a large crowd had gathered on Jager’s Walk.

“It is so tragic,” she said.

Mr Zimmerman said an autopsy would be done to determine the cause of death, adding that the matter had been handed over to the South African police services and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Fish Hoek police spokesman Warrant Officer Peter Middleton confirmed the incident and said an inquest docket had been opened.