The body of a missing 15-year-old teenager was found floating alongside a pod of dolphins off Llandudno beach on Saturday afternoon, the National Sea Rescue Institute reported.

It appears that the 15-year-old girl was with a group of friends when she may have slipped off the rocks to be swept away by rip currents.

NSRI Bakoven, NSRI Hout Bay and the CoCT water rescue network swung into action just after 6 pm on Friday evening after the first alert was received by the City.

A police dive unit was also called in to help.

An extensive search followed during which the teen’s body was found floating offshore.

“The body of the teenager was located floating on the water surface accompanied by a pod of dolphins near to the rescue craft,” said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.

The body was retrieved and handed over to state pathology services.

Family and friends of the deceased had been briefed, Lambinon said.

The body of the missing teenage girl who was allegedly swept away by a current after slipping off the rocks at Llandudno was found on Saturday 29 October, ‘accompanied by a pod of dolphins.’

On Friday evening the NSRI launched a search and rescue operation for a missing 15-year-old girl. It is believed she slipped off the rocks and was swept away by rip currents at Llandudno Beach.

In an update issued on Saturday 29 October, NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon confirmed that the teenager’s body was found by an NSRI rescue craft approximately one kilometre from the shore.

Lambinon said, “During the extensive sea and shoreline search, that included police scuba dive search efforts and EMS rescue drone search efforts, an NSRI rescue craft patrolling deep sea about a kilometre offshore reported over the VFH marine radio that the body of the teenager was located floating on the water surface accompanied by a pod of dolphins near to the rescue craft.”

The teenager’s body was recovered by police divers and has been taken into the care of the police and the government’s health and forensic pathology service.

Lambinon echoed the requests made by the victim’s family and friends to have their privacy respected during this time of mourning.

Our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends for their tragic loss.

On Friday evening the NSRI launched a search and rescue operation for a missing 15-year-old girl. It is believed she slipped off the rocks and was swept away by rip currents at Llandudno Beach.

NSRI Bakoven, NSRI Hout Bay and the City of Cape Town’s water rescue network were alerted at 6.05 pm on Friday 28 October, after an initial alert was made to the CoCT 107 emergency centre.

An extensive sea and shoreline search commenced including a team of lifeguards, rescue swimmers and a Police Dive Unit assisting in sweeping search efforts.

Despite the extensive search and rescue operation, there is still no sign of the missing teenager.

Our thoughts are with the teenager’s family and friends during this very difficult time.