A Cape student drowned shortly after matriculants celebrating on the beach saw him diving into the water.
|||Cape Town - A 23-year-old student drowned at Clifton’s Fourth Beach shortly after matriculants celebrating on the beach saw him diving into the water from rocks on Wednesday.
Michael Gresak’s body was recovered by police divers late on Wednesday after he was reported missing at about 3pm.
Relatives and friends of the matric student comforted one other as police divers and National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) members searched the waters near Clifton.
Gresak was last seen diving off a rock, waving at fellow students and swimming back to shore.
When he did not surface, his friends alerted rescuers.
NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said rescuers had received the distress call at about 3pm.
The cries of Gresak’s grief-stricken mother resounded in the La Med parking area as rescuers told the family that his body had been recovered at 5.45pm near Duiker Rock.
It is believed that a group of students from Progress College in Rosebank, a private high school, had decided to have a get-together at the beach after their valedictory on Wednesday.
Witnesses gave varying reports.
Nicolette Arulnathan and Clarence Hermanus, both 18 and matriculants at Rylands High, said they saw a fellow student swimming out to a large rock earlier in the afternoon.
“He waved at us and we were clapping for him,” Arulnathan said.
“Then he dived off the rock and we clapped again but after he was in the water we didn’t check where he went,” Hermanus said.
Another witness, who asked not to be named, said a group had decided to jump off a rock but once there they saw someone on a rock further away who appeared to be in trouble.
The group then called the police. While waiting for police to arrive the person tried to swim to safety thrice but could not get very far. He was then swept off the rock by a wave.
Trauma counselling was arranged for Gresak’s family.
Students will receive counselling at the college.
Rosebank College principal Harold Idesis called Gresak talented and creative. He had won a prize for history on Tuesday night.
“The current was too strong for him. Other students tried to save him,” said Idesis.
On Wednesday night, the college sent an SMS to students, expressing its condolences.
natasha.prince@inl.co.za
Cape Argus
* IOL has confirmed with the Cape Argus that Michael Gresak was 23 years old and in matric at a private college.