Search continues for missing teenager swept out to sea at Noordhoek Beach

A 15-year-old boy from Grassy Park remains missing after being swept out to sea at Noordhoek Beach on Sunday afternoon, despite an extensive air, sea and shoreline search.

NSRI Hout Bay station commander Spencer Oldham said the alarm was raised at 4.03pm after eyewitnesses reported seeing the teenager being pulled out by the currents below Chapman’s Peak Drive.

According to Mr Oldham, the boy had gone into the water to retrieve a ball that had been swept off the rocks when “he may have been caught in rip currents and he was swept out to sea before disappearing.”

NSRI Hout Bay duty crew, along with the City’s water rescue network, CMR paramedics, Law Enforcement, Disaster Risk Management and police, responded to the incident.

NSRI rescue craft from Hout Bay, Kommetjie and Simon's Town were launched, and the EMS/AMS Skymed helicopter assisted in the aerial search.

Mr Oldham said strong south-easterly winds of up to 45 knots made the search challenging. “Despite the extensive air, sea and shoreline search, there remains no sign of the missing teenager,” he said.

NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon confirmed that police Water Policing and Diving Services (WPDS) “will continue in ongoing search efforts.”

“Thoughts and care are with the family and friends of the missing teenager in this difficult time,” the NSRI said.