Body of infant washes up on Clifton Beach

Clifton Beach in Cape Town. Photo: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers

Clifton Beach in Cape Town. Photo: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers

Published Aug 25, 2024

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The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has confirmed the discovery of a body of an infant that washed up on Clifton 3rd Beach in Cape Town.

The body was discovered by a member of the public at 11.25am on Saturday, August 24.

The NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon said its Emergency Operations Centre was alerted by a bystander after he had come across the infant’s body that washed up on the beach.

“NSRI Bakoven, NSRI Table Bay, a Clifton Surf lifeguard, City of Cape Town Law Enforcement, Community Medics, Life Healthcare response paramedics, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the Western Cape Government Health EMS responded.

“On arrival on the scene, the unidentified decomposed body of an infant was secured on the beach for police detectives before being taken into the care of police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services. Police have opened an inquest docket and are investigating,” Lambinon said.

The NSRI commended the member of the public for raising the alarm and for the swift response, care, and compassion of all emergency services that responded.

Anyone with information that can assist police in this matter is urged to contact Camps Bay police station or call 08600 10111.

In a separate incident, a 22-year-old man is missing at sea after being swept off rocks by a wave at Stilbaai in the Western Cape on Friday afternoon.

“A Kranshoek man (believed to be aged 30), had reached a residence above the cliffs of a popular hiking trail and the popular fishing coastline, where he reported that his friend, aged 22, also from Krasnshoek, had been swept off rocks by a wave at Stilbaai while they were on the shoreline and he was in peril in the water. It remains unclear to NSRI the circumstances of the two men being at Stilbaai.

“The man reported that he had tried to save his friend, but after all attempts to save his friend, and with no cell signal at the remote location, he made the difficult decision to run for help,” Lambinon said.

An extensive sea, air, and shoreline search has revealed no signs of the missing man.

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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