Child drowning sparks summer fears

THE body of a nine-year-old boy who had drowned in a small dam was recovered in KwaMsane on Tuesday afternoon by Empangeni SAPS Search and Rescue divers.

The circumstances surrounding the boy’s death are still unclear at this stage.

According to Richard Schouten of IPSS Medical Rescue, members of the community had first tried to find the boy themselves, using up precious time.

‘It’s a sad warning to all that drownings happen in the blink of an eye,’ said Schouten.

The young victim’s name is added to an ever-growing list of drownings this December.

With the holidays having barely begun, at least four drown deaths have already occurred in the greater Zululand region.

And with one of the hottest summers on record being predicted for greater Zululand this year, the sad reality is that many more men, women and children will meet their end in a watery grave as beaches, dams and rivers attract residents and visitors looking for a quick cool-down.

During the past festive season, the Zululand Observer reported on 13 drownings that took place on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day alone.

And while a reported shortage of lifeguards at the Alkantstrand and the notorious Bay Hall area has already been red-flagged, there is further concern over unprotected beaches such as Mtunzini and St Lucia, where drownings are rife each summer.

But it is the more rural areas that present the greatest challenges, where the presence of crocodiles and hippos near the banks of dams and rivers add to the genuine lack of swimming ability on the part of many locals.

‘One of the key difficulties with inland drownings is getting to the scene timeously,’ said Search and Rescue Diver, Warrant Officer Waldo Herbst.

‘We are faced with an extremely long journey to reach the scene and if the information from witnesses is not accurate, this lessens the chances of recovery.

‘And we can spend up to three days on scene searching for the victim’s bodies before they surface.’

Alcohol consumption linked to festive season celebrations also heightens the probabilities of drownings.

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