Wednesday January 24, 2024
Family of the 28 year old man who is still missing at Sonwabe Beach. Incident took place on Jan 1. Picture: Leon Knipe/ Daily Voice.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (HOL) - A Somali man, aged 23, has been reported missing following a swimming incident at Monwabisi Beach in Cape Town. The man, a resident of Khayelitsha, disappeared under the water on Monday afternoon. Despite extensive search efforts involving air, sea, and shoreline resources, there has been no sign of the missing individual.
Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), reported that the City of Cape Town water rescue network was alerted by lifeguards at around 4 p.m. about a drowning in progress. Lifeguards immediately launched a rescue operation using Malibu boards, attempting to reach the man who was caught in rip currents. Lambinon detailed, "Shortly after being caught in the currents, the man disappeared underwater."
Anelisiwe Manyana, a police spokesperson, confirmed that police divers are conducting an ongoing search for the missing young man at Monwabisi Beach. "While no case has been registered yet, our divers are on the scene, searching for the body," Manyana stated on Tuesday.
Patricia van der Ross, Mayco member for Community Services and Health, cited concerning statistics on drowning incidents. Between December 5 and January 22, there were 12 drownings and 25 near-drownings reported. This contrasts with 17 fatal drownings in the same period the previous year. Van der Ross emphasized, "67 percent of these incidents occurred on weekends or during school holidays, often outside designated bathing areas or lifeguard hours."
The search operations for the missing Somali man at Monwabisi Beach are ongoing.