Durban – A school excursion turned into a rescue when two canoes with eight girls in them capsized in the Mtunzini estuary, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday.
Medi Response advanced life support paramedics and the Medi Response Search and Rescue Division responded to reports of children in distress at the Mtunzini estuary.
Medi Response operations director Janus van Schalkwyk said the canoes carrying pupils from a Durban private school had capsized after a sudden change in weather.
“The pupils were washed approximately 1km down the estuary before members of the Medi Response Search and Rescue division were able to rescue them and safely return them to shore,” Van Schalkwyk said.
“Fortunately, all pupils were wearing life jackets and were able to cling to the canoes until help arrived.
“The pupils were assessed by Medi Response paramedics on shore, and although shaken, sustained no injuries,” Van Schalkwyk said.
Van Schalkwyk thanked members of the Mtunzini community who helped during the rescue.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, a surfer died at Durban’s Battery Beach on Friday.
When Medi Response paramedics arrived, it was established that the man had been rescued from the backline by his two children after he reported feeling unwell.
The man was having a heart attack and paramedics tried to stabilise him, Medi Response said.
“Unfortunately, the patient's condition worsened rapidly and despite prolonged resuscitation efforts the man was eventually declared dead.”
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