Two members of a Potchefstroom apostolic church drowned in a botched baptism at Durban’s North Beach this morning. Another man who was also swept out to see is in a serious but stable in Durban’s Addington Hospital.
It is thought that the three men were part of a group wading in the shallows when a strong rip current pulled them out. They got into distress as they were unable to swim and were spotted floundering near the backline.
They were pulled to the shore by eThekwini Municipal Lifeguards and surfers. Netcare911 Paramedics responded to the scene and found the three men sodden and lying in the sand approximately twenty metres apart.
One man was assessed by Paramedics and had unfortunately died before the arrival of emergency services. Netcare911 Advanced Life Support Paramedic Kuben Nair started a full resuscitation attempt on one of the men. After nearly forty five minutes of trying to revive the man he was declared dead.
The third church goer was stabilised at the scene before being transported by ambulance to hospital.
Jeffrey Wicks
Netcare 911