Water safety | Drownings surge this festive season

JOHANNESBURG - As is tradition over the festive season, thousands of bathers descended on popular beaches across the country.

But this also means that sea rescue authorities had their hands full responding to several incidents of drowning.

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Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute, emphasises the dangers of unpredictable rip currents, and the critical need for water survival skills.

"The greatest contribution to drowning accidents at the coastline remains rip currents, or sea currents. They are unpredictable," he said.