Man goes missing trying to save couple from flooded car

A frantic search is on for a Durban man suspected to have gone missing trying to rescue a couple from their flooded car swept down the Umgeni River on Tuesday.

Devastating rains have led to localised flooding in the province over the last few weeks, with more than 23 casualties so far.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) duty commander Paul Bevis said in the latest incident, a man and a woman were trapped inside their car while attempting to cross the Umgeni River at the Midway Crossing Bridge in KwaDabeka, KwaZulu-Natal.

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“It appears that while crossing a low-level bridge, the vehicle was caught in the rapidly flowing water and was swept away coming to a halt with the river flowing around, and at times over the vehicle. The two occupants, a male age 52 and a female age 32, unable to exit, remained trapped in the vehicle.”

A man missing

A man is believed to have tried rescuing the couple, but may have been swept down the river himself.

Police are investigating a possible missing person in the area, with NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon telling The Citizen on Wednesday morning he was yet to be found.

A police helicopter, accompanied by an NSRI rescue commander and Police Search and Rescue divers, were deployed to the area earlier on Wednesday to search for the man.

The teams would also search for a missing teenager on the KZN North Coast, missing in the surf line from an unrelated incident.

How the couple were saved

The couple were rescued by a team consisting of the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, Police K9 Search and Rescue, KwaDabeka Metro Police, Metro Police Search and Rescue, KwaDabeka Fire and Rescue Services, START Rescue, KZN Government Health EMS (EMRS), Netcare 911 ambulance services, and IPSS Medical Rescue.

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“On arrival on the scene, rescue swimmers were deployed downstream with throw lines. An IPSS Croc, a Police Search and Rescue Croc and an NSRI Durban Croc were launched onto the river attached to rope lines. NSRI rescue commanders assisted the Police in the coordination of the joint technical swift water rescue operation.

“Crocs were manoeuvred to the vehicle, in the first case with a Police Search and Rescue rescue diver onboard a Croc, where the female was successfully rescued from the vehicle and brought safely to shore.

“Then, with a Metro Police Search and Rescue rescue diver onboard a Croc, the male was successfully rescued from the vehicle and brought safely to shore.”

Both the man and woman were uninjured in the incident.