Johannesburg - A grief-stricken family have shared the fatal story of losing their young daughter to drowning in hopes of raising awareness in light of World Drowning Prevention Day.
Wendy Chetty, 41, has braved her ordeal and spoken out about their seven-year-old daughter, Hannah Zoe Grace, who tragically drowned.
This happened on July 2, just days after her birthday, while she was taking a walk on the shore with her family at a non-swimming beach in Umhlanga Rocks.
With this story, the family are hoping to raise awareness about the dangers of drowning and standing on the shoreline, especially during the spring tide, and are appealing to beachgoers to be cautious.
“I would never want this tragedy to happen to anyone. We are issuing a call for ‘no swimming’ signage boards to be more prominently visible on non-swimming beaches to warn people of the dangers. Beachgoers should also be very cautious about being near the shoreline when there are no lifeguards around, especially during spring tide when the water is unpredictable,” said Chetty.
Chetty hopes that by sharing their devastating story, others may be spared from such a tragedy.
“While we are still traumatised by the loss of our little girl, we would like to do our part to prevent such a tragedy from happening to others.”
Explaining the tragic events that led to their daughter’s demise, Chetty recalls the day when the family was taking a walk at the beach when suddenly a fierce wave came out of nowhere, dragging them into the water.
It is explained that Chetty was rescued by a courageous onlooker while her husband, Ruben Chetty, 45, rushed into the water and managed to rescue his son Benjamin, 12, and their eldest daughter, Tehila, 14.
The current was exceptionally rough and Hannah slipped from her father’s grasp, drifting into deeper waters.
Despite her brave struggle against the fierce current, Hannah tragically succumbed.
It is reported that emergency responders arrived at the scene and initiated resuscitation efforts for almost an hour.
With the National Sea Rescue Institute reporting that in South Africa, an average of 1477 people die annually due to drowning, the institute emphasises the need for caution around coastlines.
A crowdfunding campaign has also been set up to support this grief-stricken family. In the face of adversity, they have implored any assistance during their time of need.
The Star