Drowned fisherman was caught in rip tide
The fisherman who drowned on Sunday, 8 June has been named by police.
THE name of the 36-year-old fisherman who drowned while fishing on the Bluff has been released by police involved in the investigation.
Ronald Reece and a friend, Philip Mostert, were caught in a rip tide while fishing on Sunday, 8 June on Brighton Beach.
Reece, a qualified scuba diver and father of a five-year-old son and his long-time friend, Mostert, were fishing for crayfish in the late afternoon when a strong rip current pulled them out to sea. Mostert told police he got caught in a fishing line, but managed to cut himself free and pull himself to safety on the rocks.
Searching frantically for his diving partner, Mostert found him in distress, flashing his dive torch, while still caught in the rip current. After fighting his way to land, he flagged down another fisherman who radioed for help from lifeguards.
Two lifeguards and two other bystanders quickly made their way into the rough waves to attempt a rescue, but became caught in the rip current themselves and had to wait to be rescued by a life boat. When Reece was eventually pulled to shore, he showed no signs of life, but after paramedics worked on him for over half-an-hour he had a faint pulse and was rushed to King Edward VIII Hospital.
Unfortunately, Ronald Reece died at about 1am on Monday, 9 June. An inquest docket has been registered at Umbilo SAP and police are investigating.
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