A 6-year-old boy drowned at La Mercy Lagoon beach near Durban on Monday.
The National Sea Rescue Institute's (NSRI) Ballito crew, Netcare 911, eThekwini municipality lifeguards, police, KwaZulu-Natal Emergency Medical Services and a local community emergency response team (CERT) responded to reports of a drowning at the beach at around 15:10.
"The child had reportedly been located lifeless in the water by bystanders, who recovered the child to the shore where bystander CPR commenced. CERT members arriving on the scene assisted with CPR," NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said.
"Netcare 911 paramedics, including a Netcare 911 emergency care practitioner, continued with advanced life support CPR and they were joined by EMS paramedics, the NSRI and lifeguards. Despite extensive CPR efforts, the child has sadly been declared deceased," Lambinon added.