Junge weiterhin vermisst – 4 Unfallopfer wieder aus Krankenhaus entlassen

The search for the 16-year-old boy who went missing during a school excursion on the Great Brak River is to resume on Friday, says the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).

A group of nine high school pupils from Brakpan in Gauteng who were touring the Southern Cape were on a school team-building exercise on the river in Suidekruis near Mossel Bay when high swells toppled three river rafts around 2pm on Wednesday.

The teenagers were accompanied by teachers and were all wearing life jackets.

But two 17-year-old boys died and another four teenagers had to be admitted to hospital.

The group’s tour guide, who is also the owner of the rubber ducks they used for wave rafting, had tried to rescue the teenagers but his attempts were futile.

Calls were made to the NSRI, which later dispatched a number of ground, sea and air rescue teams.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon told the Cape Argus that four teenagers – three girls aged 16 and a 17-year-old boy – had been discharged from hospital on Thursday.

The NSRI is, however, still searching for the boy who was washed out of his life jacket in “choppy seas”.

“Despite an extensive air, sea and shore search there has been no sign of the missing teenager. The search is continuing,” he said.

Teachers and other members of the group are receiving trauma counselling, Lambinon says.

Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said police had opened an inquest into the deaths of the two boys and had notified their families.

“We are, however, still searching for the other boy.

“He is presumed to have drowned but we cannot confirm anything at this stage,” he said.

Pojie said the teenagers were from Die Anker High School and that both the principal and deputy had driven through the night to join the group in show of their support.