Durban – Two pupils drowned during a school outing on Thursday.
They were among 84 pupils from Sizathina Secondary School in Dududu, on the KZN South Coast.
According to an incident report the pupils were swimming at the beach in front of the Waterberg Flats in Beach Road, Amanzimtoti, when they got into difficulty. They were allegedly in a no-swimming area.
It is alleged that about 30 pupils were swimming there and that no lifeguards were present.
The tragedy struck just after 4pm.
It is alleged that at about 3pm a resident notified lifeguards that a group were swimming at the beach and there were no lifeguards present.
Minutes later a call came to say there was someone in distress.
Lifeguards reportedly pulled two pupils out of the water and paramedics from a private ambulance service tried in vain to resuscitate them.
The victims were aged 17 and 18.
The parents were reportedly notified by the principal.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi offered condolences to the families of the victims, the school and their classmates.
“We will await the full report from the school. We will also send a team of psychologists to the school for the trauma debriefing.”
The SAPS have been approached for comment.
IOL