A young worker from Eerste River died tragically on Wednesday afternoon when he drowned while cleaning the Black River.
Maitland Police Station commander, Captain Louis Solomons, says cops were called to the scene along the M5 highway shortly after 3pm where they found the body of Kerwin Gordon, 20.
“He drowned after the boat he and his colleague Fahiem Jacobs, 31, were in capsized,” says Solomons.
“They were contractors working for the council and were cleaning the river when the incident happened.
“Jacobs managed to swim to safety, but Gordon did not make it. Initially the Metro rescue divers went in, but could not find the body.
RECOVER: Kerwin Gordon’s body removed. Photo: LEON KNIPE
“The Saps divers went in and recovered the body by 4.30pm. His family was not at the scene, but the detectives went to inform them.
“At this stage an inquest docket has been opened. Jacobs was taken to hospital.”
According to a source on the scene, divers found that the two men were sent onto the water without any protective gear.
“They said they were working for the council and the supervisor sent them in.
“When they pulled his body out he did not have any shoes on, but he had no life jacket either,” says the source.
Mayco Member for Spatial Planning, Marian Nieuwoudt, says the men were not City employees but a contractor’s employees.
“A preliminary investigation is currently underway to establish the details of the incident. They were part of a contractor team tasked to remove invasive species along the Black River.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za