Midmar Mile Swimmer Dies After Medical Emergency
A 63-year-old woman died Sunday after experiencing cardiac arrest while participating in the 53rd aQuellé Midmar Mile, event organizers confirmed.
The swimmer encountered difficulty in the water, leading to the cardiac arrest during the race. According to a statement released by the aQuellé Midmar Mile organizers, a fellow swimmer immediately raised the alarm.
Rescue and safety personnel stationed at Midmar Dam responded quickly, pulling the woman from the water and initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). She was then transported to shore and handed over to ER24 paramedics and on-site doctors, who continued intensive resuscitation efforts.
Despite prolonged attempts to revive her, the woman remained in full cardiac arrest and was transported to Life Hilton Hospital. Medical teams at the hospital continued emergency treatment, but were unable to save her, and she was declared deceased.
“The aQuellé Midmar Mile has extensive safety measures in place, and our water safety and medical teams responded without delay,” the organizers said in their statement. They emphasized that the safety of participants remains their top priority and that all emergency protocols were activated immediately, in line with the event’s comprehensive water safety and medical response plans.
Thousands of swimmers participated in the 53rd edition of the iconic Midmar Mile on Sunday, plunging into the cool waters of Midmar Dam. The event drew a large crowd, but was tragically marked by this incident.
Organizers extended their condolences to the swimmer’s family, friends, and loved ones, describing the incident as a tragic loss to the Midmar Mile community. No further details about the swimmer’s identity have been released at this time.
The South African Weather Service had issued a warning for severe thunderstorms over parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with heavy rain, damaging winds and flooding expected until midnight on Sunday, though We see currently unclear if the weather played a role in the incident.
