UPDATE: The identity of the man who drowned at Pellsrus Beach over the weekend has been made public.
The body of Babalo Thys (29) from Kwanobuhle washed ashore at the beach on February 5 – a day after he drowned.
According to police spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, the three friends from Kwanobuhle went swimming at Pellsrus Beach in Jeffreys Bay on February 4. After experiencing difficulties at the mid surf break, two of the men were saved while the body of Thys washed ashore the following day.
A man’s body was recovered a day after he drowned on February 4 at Pellsrus Beach in Jeffreys Bay.
The NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated on Saturday following reports of a drowning in progress at the beach.
According to Paul van Jaarsveld, NSRI Jeffreys Bay station commander, three friends had been swimming and got into difficulty in the mid surf break.
He said lifeguards from Jeffreys Bay main beach had responded to a drowning in progress and when they arrived at the scene, they had located one man who was safely ashore with no injuries.
Van Jaarsveld said the lifeguards then launched into the surf and rescued a man from the mid surf break who required no medical attention.
He said an extensive sea and shoreline search, including NSRI rescue swimmers and Kouga lifeguards deployed into the water, conducting sweeping line free dive search efforts, revealed no sign of the third man who was missing at sea and a Police Dive Unit was alerted.
“The following morning on February 5, NSRI Jeffreys Bay, police, EC Government Health EMS, Kouga Fire and Rescue Services and Kouga Law Enforcement responded to Pellsrus Beach following reports from lifeguards of a body located in shallow surf,” said Van Jaarsveld.
The body of a man was recovered by police, assisted by NSRI and lifeguards, and taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
The name of the deceased has not yet been released by the local police.
Police and Forensic Pathology Services are assisting the local family of the deceased with identification and police have opened an inquest docket.
