KwaZulu-Natal: At 17H40 Monday late afternoon, Netcare 911 responded to a drowning at the Whalebone pier in Umhlanga, Durban. Reports indicate that a woman was swept out into the mid-break after losing her footing in the shore break.
Members of the public who had witnessed the event jumped into the water to rescue her after noticing she had disappeared underwater.
A search was done by the members of the public who rushed to her aid, where she was found submerged in the water. The unresponsive woman was successfully brought to shore where Lifeguards were able to start treating her.
The patient who had a pulse but barely breathing was resuscitated on the beach. When medics arrived on the scene, an emergency care practitioner took over treatment.
The unconscious woman had severe difficulty breathing, with sea water continuously being evacuated from her airway.
Once stabilised using advanced life support techniques, the patient was transported by Netcare 911 ambulance to the hospital for further care.