Cape Town – Coroners have confirmed that 38-year-old kitesurfer Graham Howes died in a freak accident involving a whale off Bloubergstrand on September 7.
According to IOL, investigations, including three independent autopsies, found that Howes was struck by a whale while kiting near a pod, with the impact exceeding a ton and rendering him unconscious, leading to drowning.
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As reported by The South African evidence from the scene included:
- Snapped kite lines
- A damaged kiteboard
- An unreleased safety mechanism
- Final footage from onboard and nearby cameras
- The recovery positions of his equipment and injuries
Howes, a respected figure in South Africa’s extreme sports community, was last seen kiting offshore near Eden on the Bay around 1 pm. When he didn’t return, the NSRI and multiple agencies launched a large-scale search operation that evening.
Today marks four weeks since we lost our brother, Graham. On September 7th, he suffered a tragic accident while kitesurfing in Cape Town. pic.twitter.com/m1TOncPwDs
— Cameron (@DJ_BongoSA) October 5, 2025
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Picture: NSRI
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Confirmed by Betha Madhomu
