KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deadly sandbank collapse, which claimed four lives at a construction site in Zen Drive, Ballito on Saturday.

Police spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda said an inquest docket had been opened.

“The police search and rescue team working with other private entities managed to rescue all five victims, however four of them were certified dead at the scene. One worker was found alive, approximately six hours after the collapse,” he said.

IPSS Search and Rescue’s Samantha Meyrick, who was at the scene on Zen Drive on Saturday, said multiple agencies worked together to locate the missing construction workers.

At one stage, the search had to be called off due to further collapses of the sandbank.

A TLB was brought to scene to excavate the site.

Meyrick said the only survivor was severely entrapped and alternative options had to be considered to get him out alive. The Air Mercy helicopter was on standby to transport him to hospital.

She said the man was successfully freed after several hours.