NATIONAL NEWS - Human body parts believed to be those of a 59-year-old Gauteng businessman missing in the Komati River have been discovered inside a crocodile.
The grim discovery was made on Saturday by a joint team comprising the Saps Search and Rescue Unit, NatJoints, SANParks, Emergency Medical Services, Securecon and the Port Management Committee.
Missing businessman
Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said DNA tests will be conducted to confirm whether the remains belong to the businessman, who was reported missing last month after his Ford Ranger was found trapped on a low-lying bridge in Komatipoort.
“Following a week-long search for the missing businessman, the team identified a crocodile in the river suspected to have carried out the attack. The necessary permission was obtained to euthanize the crocodile. It is then that the human remains were found and retrieved,” Masondo said.
Photo: X/@DeliaByliefeldt
Recovery efforts
The Acting Provincial Police Commissioner in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, commended the multi-disciplinary team for their persistence under dangerous conditions.
“I give honour to the dedicated team that has put their lives in danger to find the missing person. I know it was not easy, but they did not give up, even when faced with a dangerous situation,” said Mkhwanazi.
Authorities say forensic testing will now determine the victim’s identity, while investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Article: The Citizen
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