Police divers in the North West have been searching for the body of a Mozambican national who went missing two weeks ago. He went fishing at the Bospoort Dam, near Rustenburg, when he drowned while casting fish nets from a rubber tube.
Search efforts are being hampered by thick hyacinths covering the dam and cold weather.
Police were summoned about 15 days ago. Every day since, police divers and Bobby – the rescue dog – have been searching covering an area of 20 000 square metres and patrolling the rest of the dam.
Police spokesperson, Captain Elsabe Augoustides says: “He’s 23-years-old and was accompanied by a friend and he then went into the Bospoort dam, in a very remote area of the dam. About 400 metres into the dam it seems he encountered some problems. There’s a possibility that maybe the tube he was on deflated.”
The victim’s fish nets were recovered, but not his body.
“The problem is once a body lands underneath, it might take weeks and weeks to find the body if ever we find it. So we are also appealing to the public, please don’t come to these remote areas, stay clear of them and if you do go fishing, make sure you follow the procedures. Have people with you and go to areas that are designated for fishing,” says Augoustides.
The man’s name is being withheld as his next of kin still needs to be informed.
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