Missing man’s body found at Cape beach

2012-01-21 08:30

Cape Town - The body of a 27-year-old man has been found at a Cape Town beach three days after he was swept out to sea, Cape Town Disaster Risk Management Centre said on Friday.

A beachgoer found Igshaan Ariefdien's body washed ashore at Swartklip beach during low tide, spokesperson Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said.

"Law enforcement officers struggled to recover the body from the water as high-tide was setting in and hampering their efforts. The recovery efforts took almost two hours due to rough sea conditions."

Ariefdien had been boogie-boarding with a friend when both were caught in a rip current at Mnandi beach on Wednesday. His companion was able to swim to safety.

Solomons-Johannes said Ariefdien's relatives were at the scene. His body would be taken to the Salt River mortuary where a post-mortem would be conducted.

The search for a second man, Jerome Booysen, 35, from Rugby in Cape Town, who also went missing on Wednesday, would continue, Solomons-Johannes said.

He was pulled out to sea by a rip current at Milnerton lagoon beach when he and friend swam out to help two women, one of them his niece, in trouble in the water. The three made it back to shore safely.

"The search mission will resume at first light on Saturday morning, in attempt to recover the body of Booysen. The National Sea Rescue Institute and police diving unit have indicated they will assist in the search."

- SAPA