Three people have died after they were hit by a large wave at a beach in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban on Sunday, emergency officials said.
The emergency medical services “responded to reports of a freak wave that swept a group of beachgoers against the pier causing multiple injuries” at North Beach, spokesperson Njabulo Dlungele said in a statement on Sunday night.
“Unfortunately three people, including a teenager, were declared deceased at the scene,” Dlungele added.
At least 17 people were also taken to various medical facilities for treatment after being injured by the wave which struck about 5pm.
More than 35 lifeguards participated in rescue efforts, attending to more than 100 people affected by the massive wave, according to the municipality.
KwaZulu-Natal premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called for a full investigation and will determine what safety measures were in place, South Africa’s Sunday Times cited her spokesperson, Lennox Mabaso, as saying.
“The details of the incidents are still sketchy. However, it is believed that a freak wave put many people into distress while swimming and they tragically drowned. Seventeen others are reported injured,” Mabaso told the paper.
“The premier has called for a full investigation into this terrible tragedy. This will include fact-finding on all safety measures … Dube-Ncube has directed that support be prioritised to all affected families in this time of tragedy and grief for our province.”
Durban is usually a hive of activity around the holiday season, attracting local and international tourists to its beaches.
This year’s festive season is expected to attract many travellers eager to return to the beaches after the years when Covid-19 lockdowns and precautions reduced tourism in Durban.
The port city on South Africa’s eastern Indian Ocean coast has been gradually reopening its beaches after some were closed due to high levels of E. coli following devastating floods in parts of the KwaZulu-Natal province earlier this year.
With Associated Press
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