Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander, said; “At 14h10 on Sunday 25 March, NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a man missing after falling from a boat on the Sunday River near Port Elizabeth.
“It appears that the boat had been executing a tight turn when a 34 year old Port Elizabeth man, Lesley Vermaak, had fallen out of the boat and disappeared under water.
“Our NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue duty crew towed a sea rescue boat to the scene which was launched on arrival (the sea rescue boat had been diverted from the Blue Water Bay incident that was going on at the same time) and the SA Police Force, a Police Dive Unit and Coastal Rescue responded.
“An extensive search from our sea rescue craft and Coastal Rescue rescue swimmers free diving revealed no sign of the missing man.
A Police dive unit continued the search and recovered the body. Lesley Vermaak was declared dead and handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.
Alan Straton
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Leslie Vermaak was in fact 43 turning 44 on 22 May and not 34 as reported. He leaves behind two gorgeous sons … Dylan and Darryn aged 17 and 12. He died doing exactly what he loved … being on the river … in the water ,,, may you rest in peace my darling brother-in-law. till we meet again xxx
RIP Leslie our thoughts and prays to the family, Dylan and Darryn