Durban - The body of an elderly woman was discovered floating at Ramsgate Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast on Monday.
Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said paramedics responded to a drowning at Ramsgate Beach just before noon.
He said reports indicated that members of the public were walking on the beach when they spotted what looked like the figure of a human floating in the surf.
“The bystanders jumped into the water and retrieved the body of an elderly female,” he said.
Herbst said when paramedics arrived, they assessed the woman.
He said that, unfortunately, the woman showed no signs of life and was sadly declared deceased on the scene.
“Circumstances leading up to the woman found floating in the water are not known. However, the deceased was handed over to the SAPS Search and Rescue Unit for further investigation,” said Herbst.
Earlier this year “The Mercury” shared the following safety tips from the National Sea Rescue Institute’s water safety instructor, Mncedisi Hlalatuto, to stay safe while swimming:
- Swim at beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty. Lifeguards are on duty at selected beaches during the summer school holidays. Listen to their advice and talk to them about safety on the beach that you are visiting. They are the experts on that beach. If lifeguards are not on duty, do not swim.
- Swim between the lifeguards’ flags. Teach children that if they swim between the lifeguards’ flags, the lifeguards will be watching them and can help them if there is a problem. Lifeguards watch swimmers carefully between the flags – just wave an arm if you need help.
- Don’t drink alcohol and then swim.
- Don’t swim alone. Always swim with a buddy. If you are with a buddy while swimming, there is someone who can call for help if you need it and you can’t wave to the lifeguards or call for help yourself.
- Adult supervision and barriers to water are vital. Adults who are supervising children in or near water must be able to swim. This is vital if it is at a water body that does not have lifeguards on duty. It is extremely dangerous to get into the water to rescue someone, so rather throw something that floats to the person in difficulty and call for help – 112 from a cellphone. Check for the nearest Sea Rescue station telephone number before you visit a beach and put that number into your cellphone.
- Know how to survive rip currents. If you swim between the lifeguard flags, they will make sure that you are safe and well away from rip currents. If for some reason this is not possible, do not swim.
- Don’t attempt a rescue yourself. Call a lifeguard or the NSRI by dialling 112 from your cellphone for help. If you see someone in difficulty, call a lifeguard at once or dial the nearest NSRI station from your cellphone. After calling for help, try to throw something that floats to the person in difficulty. A rescue buoy, a ball, a foam surfboard and so on.
- Watch children who are using floating objects, toys or tyre tubes at the beach or on dams carefully. Never use these if the wind might blow them away from the shallow water.
- Do not be distracted by your cellphone or social media.
- Learn how to do CPR. Have the emergency numbers saved in your phone.
- Learn how to swim.