Families mourn deaths after drownings

GEORGE NEWS - The Garden Route has experienced a number of fatal drownings and traumatic non-fatal drownings during the last two weeks.

This has left some families in mourning and shock, while other devastated families are still desperately seeking closure after loved ones disappeared into the ocean.

Since the beginning of the month, five people from George, of which four were fishermen, were washed from the rocks and disappeared into the water.

The most recent incident occurred on Saturday 10 February when a fisherman, Rashaad Fagodiem from Pacaltsdorp, was washed from the rocks while fishing near the Gwaiing river mouth.

A fellow fisherman and friend rushed to the police and reported the incident at 14:50. A team of search and rescue personnel was immediately assembled to search for him. He was reported missing and police divers are still deployed in the area where the search is underway.

He was the fourth fisherman who has been washed from the rocks and went missing in recent days.

Two from Thembalethu

On Saturday 3 February, Xolani Jilose (26) and Luvo Mkhetho (24) from Thembalethu went fishing with another man at Ballots Bay when Jilose and Mkhetho were allegedly washed from the rocks and swept into the ocean.

Mkhetho's body was recovered from the ocean near Wilderness Beach late on Wednesday afternoon,

7 February. The body of another unidentified man was retrieved near Ballots Bay on Monday 12 February.

His mother, Zukiswa Mkhetho, was still in shock when she spoke to George Herald earlier this week.

"I remember my son to be a loving and caring person and some would call him 'cool'. He was the light of my life, always considered me in everything he did. Our hearts are broken, but he left a piece of himself behind - his lovely young son. I am grateful that I have something to remember him by," she said.

Mkhetho's family will gather for his funeral in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, this weekend.

And while Mkhetho's mother is burying her son this weekend, Jilose's mother is still desperate for closure since there has been no sign of her son.

"We hope we can find him. It has been 11 days now," she said on Tuesday. "He is close to his family and he is a quiet person. He is much loved and I struggle to describe the emptiness that is in my heart right now."

Fisherman in Hansmoeskraal

On Sunday afternoon, 4 February, NSRI Wilderness duty crew were activated by the police following eyewitness reports of a fisherman missing at Hansmoeskraal, near Pacaltsdorp.

The man, believed to be André Michaels from New Dawn Park, was washed off the rocks while he was fishing to put food on the table. He is still missing.

Extensive sea and shoreline searches by the NSRI, a drone search by the George Fire and Rescue Services and police divers have continued in an attempt to locate the missing fishermen.

Blanco man drowns

Also on Sunday 4 February, a man from Blanco, Claudio 'At' Williams (31), lost his life to the ocean when he went swimming during a family outing in Souwesia, Great Brak River.

According to information Williams got into trouble in the water, after which another man (26) went in to help him. However, Williams was already behind the waves and the man could not save him.

The 26-year-old man escaped unharmed, but Williams was sadly declared dead on the scene. His family was approached but declined to comment. That same weekend, three people were rescued from a rip current at Victoria Bay.

NSRI warns

The NSRI urges recreational boaters, sailors, paddlers, bathers, fishermen, children, seafarers and anglers to exercise caution around coastal waters, inland waters and swimming pools at all times.

Fishermen along the coastline are urged to wear life-jackets while fishing close to the shore's edge.

Be acutely aware of the high and low tides, never turn your back to the sea and take extra precautions during the twice monthly spring tides.

nGeorge Herald tried to make contact with all of the abovementioned people's families, but could not reach all of them. If any other family members of the missing or deceased wish to contact us, they are welcome to do so by phoning our offices in Ring Road on 044 874 2424.

Xolani Jilose (26) is still missing.