Inside Education Reporter
A 15-year-old boy from Grassy Park remained missing on Monday after being swept to sea at Noordhoek Beach on Cape Town’s Atlantic coast, despite an extensive air, sea and shoreline search, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.
Spencer Oldham, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said the alarm was raised on Sunday at 4.30pm.
“NSRI Hout Bay duty crew and the CoCT (City of Cape Town) water rescue network crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a teenager being swept out to sea at Noordhoek Beach, Cape Town, below Chapmans Peak Drive.”
The teenager was trying to recover a ball that had washed off nearby rocks when he disappeared in the surf.
“[He] may have been caught in rip currents and he was swept out to sea before disappearing,” said Oldham.
Multiple emergency services were dispatched to the scene.
“NSRI rescue swimmers, CMR (Cape Medical Response), CoCT Law Enforcement, CoCT DRM (Disaster Risk Management) and the SA Police Services responded.”
Two NSRI rescue craft already at sea on routine training joined the search, and further vessels were launched from Hout Bay and Kommetjie.
“NSRI Hout Bay (at sea at the time conducting routine training) dispatched the NSRI rescue craft Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews and the NSRI Hout Bay rescue craft Spirit of Gabby was launched while the NSRI Hout Bay rescue vehicle responded.
“NSRI Kommetjie were alerted and launched the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 26 Alpha and the NSRI Kommetjie rescue vehicle responded.
“NSRI Simonstown dispatched NSRI crew and their NSRI rescue vehicle.”
An EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter was deployed to assist with the aerial search, while police water units were put on standby.
“WC Government Health EMS Metro Control dispatched the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter. Police WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services) were alerted.”
Oldham said the search took place in difficult sea and weather conditions.
“On arrival on the scene an extensive search commenced for the teenager in the surf zone in strong South Easterly winds gusting to 45 knots.”
By nightfall there was still no trace of the boy.
“Despite the extensive air, sea and shoreline search there remains no signs of the missing teenager. Police WPDS will continue in ongoing search efforts. Thoughts and care are with the family and friends of the missing teenager in this difficult time.”
Noordhoek is a wide, open Atlantic beach facing powerful swells driven by the cold Benguela Current and strong seasonal winds, conditions that can generate strong rip currents and heavy surf, according to safety advisories and the NSRI’s public guidance on coastal hazards.
The NSRI says rip currents are the single biggest danger visitors face at South African beaches and has warned that they can form wherever there are breaking waves, often intensifying around sandbanks, channels and tidal changes.
Travel and safety notes for Cape Town’s coastline describe several Atlantic and False Bay beaches, including Noordhoek and nearby False Bay spots, as exposed areas where rip currents are common and formal lifeguard protection is limited or seasonal, urging swimmers to treat the surf with caution.
The incident at Noordhoek comes after a series of drownings and near-drownings along Cape Town’s coastline over the past two seasons, many of them linked to rip currents.
On New Year’s Day 2024, two men drowned and a third man went missing at Sonwabe Beach on the False Bay side of the peninsula after being caught in rip currents, according to NSRI reports and local media.
In November 2024, a 12-year-old girl drowned and a 34-year-old man who tried to rescue her went missing in strong rip currents at Monwabisi Beach, also on the False Bay coastline, prompting a multi-day search by NSRI crews and police divers.
A December 2024 public advisory by NSRI and community newspapers said an average of about 56 people drown in South Africa each year because of rip currents, and urged beachgoers to visit only lifeguarded beaches and obey safety flags and instructions.
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