Freak wave kills three swimmers and injures at least 17 others at popular South African beach
Freak wave kills three swimmers including ‘seven-year-old child and a teenager’ and injures at least 17 others at popular South African beach
- A ‘freak wave’ killed three people at a beach in South Africa yesterday afternoon
- The wave reportedly swept a group of beachgoers against the pier in Durban
- At least 17 people had to be taken to various medical facilities for treatment
Three people died when they were hit by a freak wave in South Africa‘s coastal city of Durban, emergency officials said.
Yesterday the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to reports of a group of beachgoers being swept against the pier by a huge wave ‘causing multiple injuries’.
An EMS spokesman said: ‘Unfortunately three people, including a teenager, were declared deceased at the scene.’
At least 17 people were also taken to various medical facilities for treatment after being injured by the wave, the spokesman said.
Three people died and 17 were hospitalised after a ‘freak wave’ hit a beach in Durban, South Africa (Paramedics carry a person on a stretcher on the Bay of Plenty Beach in Durban)
More than 35 lifeguards participated in rescue efforts, attending to more than 100 people affected by the massive wave, according to the municipality.
An investigation has been launched into the incident, while the emergency services said that they were afraid the toll would rise.
It happened at around 5:00 pm at the Bay of Plenty, one of the popular beaches in South Africa’s third-largest city.
Durban has gradually been re-opening its beaches after closure due to high levels of E.coli coming from the city’s sewer system, badly damaged by deadly floods earlier this year.
The floods, the worst in living memory, killed more than 400 people in April.