Two girls, both aged 11, are feared to have drowned after they went swimming, allegedly without adult supervision, at Henties Bay on Friday.
The disappearance of the two friends, who are residents of the town, has prompted a major search operation which includes police divers.
Fanie Redelinghuys of LifeLink Emergency Services on Friday reported receiving a distress call at around 14h00.
“There was already no sign of anyone when we arrived,” he said, adding that witnesses 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 children are swept away by a current and they are pulled under water, their bodies could take a week before being washed ashore.
Johannes Mekina, the head of the Henties Bay Town Council Emergency Services, over the weekend confirmed that the local police had been notified of the incident 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 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 is being attended to by the police.
Leave a Reply