Two girls, both aged 11, are feared to have drowned after they allegedly went swimming without adult supervision at Henties Bay on Friday afternoon.
The disappearance of the two, who are believed to be friends and residents of the town, has prompted a major search operation that includes police divers.
Fanie Redelinghuys of LifeLink Emergency Services reported receiving a distress call at around 14h00.
“There was already no sign of anyone when we arrived,” he said, adding that eyewitnesses on the beach described seeing the two girls enter the water but “never return”.
Redelinghuys also highlighted the absence of lifeguards and the danger of rip currents in the area.
“At the end of the day, parental responsibility underpins everything. It is difficult and it is an emotive time of the year. So people need to be aware and need to stay out of the sea if they don’t know what they’re doing and if they don’t have supervision,” said LifeLink’s Brian Low.
He said when the children are taken by a current and they get pulled under, the bodies could probably take a week before being washed out, if not retrieved.
Head of Henties Bay Town Council Emergency Services Johannes Mekina confirmed that the local police had been notified and were coordinating the search.
He said the girls’ next of kin had been taken to the police station.
Mekina lamented the tragic circumstances, noting that the beach was not particularly busy at the time of the incident.
Erongo police spokesperson inspector Ileni Shapumba confirmed the incident and said the matter was being attended to by the police.
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