Three dead, three missing in ‘mass drowning’ at KZN’s Pennington beach

Staff Reporter

Three people have been confirmed dead and three young men remain missing after a mass drowning incident in rip currents at Pennington Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.

Rescuers resumed the search at dawn on Friday, after the incident on New Year’s Day, when several swimmers were reported in distress near the tidal pool.

The distress calls were answered by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Rocky Bay rescue swimmers, police and lifeguards, the NSRI said on Friday.

“At first light on Friday, 2 January 2026, NSRI Rocky Bay, Police Search and Rescue, the SA Police Services and Umdoni lifeguards resumed extensive search efforts for what was believed to be two males that remained missing following the mass drowning incident in the early evening on New Year’s Day,” the NSRI said.

It said lifeguards managed to pull three people from the water on Thursday evening.

“One male (21)