A man heroically rushed into a dam to retrieve the body of a drowned boy on Saturday but ended up being swallowed by the water as well.

According to Daily Sun SA, the police in Ivory Park, east of Joburg are investigating the drowning of two people in a dam in Claysville extension 45 on Saturday afternoon.

Captain Bernard Matimulane said the first victim, a 16-year-old boy, was swimming with his friends when he drowned.

“His terrified friends ran to tell his parents, who rushed to the dam. The parents and other bystanders started searching for the boy in the spot where his friends told them he had last been seen.”

Matimulane said that during the search, a resident went into the water but also ended up drowning. He was in his early 20s and his body was retrieved by paramedics.

Ivory Park police commander Brigadier David Ngcobo appealed to residents to be careful around rivers, streams and dams.

He also advised people to get help from trained professionals during emergencies, saying the second drowning could have been avoided if residents had waited for the police diving squad.