WALVIS BAY – A Swakopmund mother had to watch in horror as her four-year-old daughter tragically drowned on Saturday afternoon after she was swept away by a strong wave at the beach.
She also almost drowned when she desperately tried to rescue her daughter, who was identified as Shanique Grace Gases.
The mother had to be resuscitated by emergency personnel after being rescued from the sea.
The tragic events played out at the OK parking close to the Platz Am Meer mall around 16h00 on Saturday.
Crime investigations coordinator for Erongo Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu said the little girl went to the beach with her mother, brother, a cousin and a family friend.
“The girl was playing with her brother and cousin close to the seawater. The mother told us that she noticed a strong wave, all of a sudden, hitting over the kids and how her daughter was no longer at the spot she was playing,” Iikuyu explained.
According to Iikuyu, the mother took on the strong current and jumped into the sea to rescue her daughter.
As a result, she almost also drowned.
He added divers from the sea rescue team arrived shortly at the scene and during their immediate search, they spotted the body of the girl floating several metres from the incident scene.
“However, her body disappeared again under the strong waves,” Iikuyu said.
– edeklerk@nepc.com.na