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Search and rescue teams are still tirelessly searching for Ryder Kossatz (17) who was swept away at sea last Wednesday.
“Ryder was so popular with hundreds of people telling me how he’s touched their hearts - I’m stumped,” his mother, Dune Kossatz, told People’s Post.
She said an abnormally huge wave swept her son, a Grade 11 learner from Wynberg Boys’ High School, off rocks on the shoreline of Llandudno, near his favourite swimming spot.
She detailed her son’s tragedy: “He was there with his girlfriend. He was a strong swimmer and surfer, but after 30-45 minutes of Ryder trying to swim with the current to hopefully push him past the rocks, he disappeared and no one could save him.”
The search operation headed by the police’s dive unit is still ongoing [as of Monday 14 August].
According to a statement by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, Ryder disappeared at 15:44 on Wednesday 9 August.
“The NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Bakoven duty crews were activated by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) following eye-witness reports of a male teenager caught in rip currents after being swept off rocks on the shoreline below the Llandudno Sandy Bay parking area.”
He added that the NSRI rescue swimmers responded swiftly to the scene as a rescue craft was launched while police and Western Cape Government Health emergency services (EMS) rescue squad and ambulance were alerted.
Additionally, a Skymed rescue helicopter was also launched by EMS metro control to assist the search, as well as the City of Cape Town (CoCT) water rescue network and CoCT law enforcement.
Although the family wishes to hold a small and intimate farewell for Ryder at his favourite spot on Llandudno’s shoreline tonight (15 August), the (spontaneous) arrival of all those he’s touched is simply uncontainable.
“100’s of people want to come. I had no idea he had so many friends, he was incredibly popular. Every night now, different groups of friends have rocked up at his spot and lit candles in the hopes of him being found.”
She added that Wynberg Boy’s High and Bishops Boys High’s teams are wearing white bands on their forearms in his honour.
On Wynberg Rugby’s Facebook page, a photo was shared of the first teams and students that bowed their heads for a minute’s silence on Saturday. The Facebook post read: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryder’s family and friends.”
