Inquest docket opened after man drowns crossing river at Stilbaai

Police have opened an inquest docket into the drowning of a man who went missing while trying to cross a river on Sunday at Stilbaai in the Western Cape.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Stilbaai station commander Stéfan Grové said crew were activated shortly before 4pm by police reports about a drowning in progress in the Goukou River, near the river mouth. 

NSRI swimmers and a JetRib rescue craft responded to help police search for the man.

“It was reported he had been swept downriver and disappeared while crossing through the river. During shoreline search efforts eyewitnesses at the scene reported having last seen the man being swept out of the river mouth and into the sea,” said Grové.

“Our NSRI rescue craft JetRib commenced sweeping line search efforts beyond the river mouth and on the first sweeping search effort the man was located and recovered from the water, sadly deceased.”

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