UPDATE: Drowning victim identified as nurse from Dannhauser

The man who drowned at Ntshingwayo (Chelmsford) Dam on Saturday, September 16, has been identified.

According to a source, the victim was a nursing student who was stationed at Dannhauser a mere two months ago.

He had been at the dam with friends and decided to go swimming.

“He seemed fine at first, because he still waved at some of his friends,” said one source on the scene.

However, a few moments later Leon Oosthuizen and Johnny Heynie noticed he seemed to be struggling in the water.

Concerned about his safety, they plunged into the water in an attempt to rescue him before he went under water.

Their efforts proved futile, and the victim drowned shortly before they could get to him.

“We were about 10 metres away when he went under the water,” Oosthuizen said, shortly after the incident.

The diving unit were contacted to assist in locating the man. The search on Saturday proved fruitless and had to be called off due to deteriorating light conditions.

The search continued on Sunday, when he was found 70 metres away from where he initially drowned.

The Newcastle Advertiser extends its condolences to family, friends and colleagues of the deceased.

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