THE search for swimmer Tristan Dennis, who went missing during the aQuellé Midmar Mile on Saturday, resumed at first light this morning, Monday, 9 February.
The search, led by the South Africa Police Service Search and Rescue team, under Lt Jack Haskins, resumed on Sunday afternoon and continued until light and weather conditions halted the operation.
Navy divers, supported by SAPS divers, searched a spot on the dam identified by sniffer dogs from the SAPS K9 division.
Dennis, who comes from Durban, was swimming in a company relay race and entered the water at 11:22am. There was no record of him exiting the water at any place along the race.
The race organisers were notified by concerned friends, who were swimming with him, after they waited for more than an hour for him to emerge from the water. Within minutes the missing persons protocols were implemented, resulting in a thorough search of all the medical facilities at the event as well as double-checking that he was not taken from the water by any of the lifesavers on the water.
This year was the first time where there was a unique tag system that could log all the swimmers as they leave the water at the finish line, or when they are taken from the water by the safety staff. None of the searches proved successful, and the search was moved to the water.
Tristan’s family were also notified and they rushed through to Midmar to be close to the search.
Tarquin Dennis, Tristan's older brother, insisted on taking part in the 2015 aQuellé Midmar Mile on Sunday to finish the event for his brother. He was joined by friends Craig Swinburne and Shane Beattie, who completed event three on the Saturday, and Grant Clayton.
Members of the South African Navy swam with them, monitored by members of Durban Surf Lifesaving Club on boards.
“I am doing this because he is my brother. If he was in a fight I would have his back. Waiting for next year is not good enough, I need to have his back now,” said Tarquin Dennis.
