Environmental Affairs MEC in Richards Bay following fatal boat accident
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Sihle Zikalala has arrived in Richards Bay on the north coast following a fatal boat accident there.
Police have confirmed that two staff members drowned as a result of the incident. Two others were taken to hospital for treatment.
A fifth person is still missing at sea.
Reports from the scene are that the search for the fifth person has been called off for now due to strong winds in the area.Earlier, police divers, National Sea Rescue Institute members and a Portnet helicopter scoured the area trying to locate the missing crew member.
The sharks board says the workers had been servicing shark safety gear when their boat overturned.
Zikalala met sharks board management and inspected the damaged boat at the board's base in Richards Bay earlier this afternoon.
He has since travelled to the family home of one of the workers who had been onboard the boat.
Environmental Affairs MEC @sziks has arrived at the Sharks Board premises after one of their shark safety gear boats overturned this morning at the Newark Beach in Richards Bay. Two employees have been confirmed dead, two have been left injured and another is still missing. pic.twitter.com/kS2iiQluPT
— Nushera Raisa (@nushera) August 8, 2018
Beach Manager, Shakes Hiraman explains to Sihle Zikalala how the whole accident took place @ECR_Newswatch #RichardsBaySharksBoard pic.twitter.com/SZfP0R1KSk
— Sandile Jeff Zikhali (@Bangibiza_uJeff) August 8, 2018