Rugby drowning tragedy

Motherwell Rugby Football Club members, and family and friends of the players, stand together in prayer as rescue workers search for their teammates. who were swept in strong current at the Bluewater Bay beach yesterday. Picture BRIAN WITBOOI

SOUTH Africa's rugby fraternity was in shock yesterday after a morning training session at Port Elizabeth's Bluewater Bay Beach ended in tragedy for a group of Motherwell rugby players, with one dead and five missing, presumed drowned.

The body of one Motherwell Rugby Football Club member was recovered and 15 others were rescued.
The drama began when some club members decided to have a quick swim after training and were caught in the strong current. Other members who tried to rescue them were also swept out to sea.
Police divers searched for the missing players, but there was still no sign of them by last night.

The SA Rugby Union (Saru) sent its condolences to the club last night. "I have spoken to the president of the Eastern Province Kings Rugby Union and members of the community today. This is a devastating tragedy,” Saru president Oregan Hoskins said.

"These young men were preparing to compete in a Saru Easter Tournament in Cape Town and were enjoying a carefree day on the beach with their teammates.

"[The tragedy] is shocking for the whole rugby community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to their families.”

The group of about 20 players had gone to train at the beach, as they often did. Team manager Mncedisi Mazomba said that at the end of the training session, some players had gone to shower while others went for a swim.

"Next thing we knew, a lady was alerting us that there were some people drowning and that, as much as it looked like they were playing, they were too far out,” he said.

"We immediately went to alert the lifesavers and were told that the rescue boat could not be dispatched because it was deflated.

"That's when our guys [the players] stepped in and tried to rescue their teammates themselves, but they were also drawn in by the strong current and washed away.”

After a highly emotional prayer session was held by the players, friends, family and others involved with the team, there was not a dry eye among them.

The distraught teammates – some of whom had been successfully rescued from the raging water – were too traumatised to speak to the media. Some blamed themselves for what had happened.

One player, who was relaying the incident to another, was heard screaming: "He was so close to me. I could have saved him. I could have saved his life. How am I supposed to feel about that?”
Another player – who had just been rescued from the turbulent waves – was still too shaken to speak about the tragedy. Approached for comment, he began crying and said: "Sorry, I can't. I just can't.”

Coastal Water Rescue coordinator John Fletcher said they had tried desperately to resuscitate Mbambani, "but he didn't make it”.

Fletcher said yesterday's terrible weather conditions had played a huge role in the drowning and made it difficult to search for the missing players. "There was a massive current and the water was just too rough. We called off our search when police divers arrived on the scene.”

NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said three sea rescue craft, rescue rubber-ducks, a jet-ski and a helicopter had been used.

Lifeguards were also swimming to look for the missing players.

"Of the 15 people rescued alive, none was required to go to hospital although some were treated for shock and near-drowning symptoms on the beach by paramedics.”

Eastern Province Kings Rugby Union chief executive Anele Pamba said the province's rugby fraternity had been dealt a massive blow with the loss of emerging talent.

"Motherwell players have a huge role in rugby in this province as some of these guys were playing for our junior teams,” he said. "This is such a huge blow to local rugby.”

Pamba said when he left the scene late yesterday afternoon, municipal sports, recreation, arts and culture portfolio head Babalwa Lobishe was going to accompany public health executive director Dr Mamisa Chabula-Nxiweni to see the players' families. Mayor Zanoxolo Wayile also visited the families last night to offer condolence and comfort.

Wayile said the tragic incident was "yet another traumatic experience for Bay residents after the loss of Springbok rugby player Solly Tyibilika last year and the three councillors who died in a road accident earlier this year”.

"We have offered the families counselling and are consulting with each other about what we can do,” he said.

Municipal spokesman Roland Williams said officials had done all they could to rescue the swimmers. "This is a very unfortunate tragedy,” he said.

"At all times, anyone who uses the beaches must make sure to be extremely vigilant.”
Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said police divers had called off the search at about 6pm due to limited visibility. The search would resume today.

Meanwhile, the body of Lesley Vermaak, 35, of Port Elizabeth, was recovered from the Sunday's River by police divers yesterday.

NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said it had been determined that the boat he had been on had been in a tight turn on the water when Vermaak fell overboard and disappeared.

●A 22-year-old Johannesburg man was presumed to have drowned at East London's Eastern Beach yesterday, Lambinon said.
The man had disappeared beneath the water while swimming with colleagues.
"We believe the missing man was working in East London and he and a group of his colleagues had gone to swim,” he said
A search was launched, but there was no sign of the man by yesterday evening.

●In Mdantsane on Saturday night, a woman drowned when her car was swept away by water at a low-level bridge.
"The body of a woman in her late 20s was recovered,” Captain Mluleki Mbi said.
"Three other occupants survived. The vehicle was also pulled out of the river.”

– Additional reporting by Sapa

Source: The Herald Online