Body of Missing Man Recovered at Strand Beach As Search for Second Victim Continues
- A body was recovered near the Lourens River in the Helderberg Marine Protected Area on Thursday, 3 September 2026
- Two colleagues aged 22 and 39 were swept away by rip currents at Strand Beach while attempting to rescue a fellow worker
- Police divers, NSRI crews and emergency personnel remain on scene as the search for the second missing man continues
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CAPE TOWN — A search operation at Strand Beach turned to tragedy on Thursday, 3 September 2026, after the body of an adult man was recovered in the Helderberg Marine Protected Area, near the mouth of the Lourens River.
The NSRI Gordons Bay crew was alerted following reports that a body had been spotted along the beach. Police divers from the Water Policing and Diving Service (WPDS), the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and Western Cape Government Health emergency medical personnel assisted in the recovery. The man was declared dead at the scene, and his body was handed over to police and Forensic Pathology Services.
Victim's identity not yet confirmed
Authorities believe the deceased is likely the 39-year-old man from Mfuleni in Blue Downs who went missing the previous day. His identity has not yet been formally confirmed, and police and forensic officials are working alongside his family as that process continues. An inquest into his death has been opened.
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The recovery follows a search operation launched on Wednesday afternoon after two men were swept away by rip currents while swimming at Strand Beach.
How the two men ended up in trouble
The men were part of a group from a local business who had gone to the beach on a work off day. According to the NSRI, one member of the group got into difficulty in the water. Two of his colleagues, a 22-year-old from Belhar and the 39-year-old from Mfuleni, entered the sea to assist him. Both were then caught in powerful rip currents and pulled away from shore.
A local surfer, described by the NSRI as a Good Samaritan, managed to reach the man who had initially been struggling and brought him safely back to shore. Paramedics treated him at the scene before he was released without requiring further medical care.
Search for second man ongoing
A large-scale search for the two missing men was launched immediately after the incident. The operation drew on NSRI rescue crews, rescue craft, aircraft, drones and police divers working across the water and shoreline.
With the body of one man now recovered, the search for the 22-year-old from Belhar continues. Police divers remain active in the area as authorities work to locate him.
The NSRI has extended its condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of both men.
Body recovered from Umzinyathi river
Previously, Briefly News reported that SAPS Search and Rescue members retrieved a body spotted floating in water below the Mzinyathi Waterfall near Mpophomeni Road in Inanda. The identity of the deceased remains unknown after the body was handed over to Inanda SAPS at the landing zone above the waterfall. An inquest docket has been opened as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
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Source: Briefly News
