Emergency services said three people swimming off a South African beach on Saturday died when they were swept away by an “abnormal wave” and 17 were seriously injured.
Robert Mckenzie, spokesman for rescue services in the state of KwaZulu-Natal, told AFP: “There was an abnormal wave sweeping people over. Three drowned and 17 were hospitalized.”
According to him, one of the dead was a 7-8 year old boy. The injured are in “serious and even critical” condition.
The incident occurred at around 5 pm (12.00 GMT) in the Bay of Plenty, one of the beaches of Durban, South Africa’s third largest city.
The area has gradually reopened its beaches to the public after a shutdown caused by high levels of E.coli bacteria from the municipal sewer system, which was damaged by this year’s flood that killed more than 400 people in April.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.