KOMATIPOORT – The body of a man, who was presumably attacked by a crocodile, was recovered in the Komati River on Tuesday. Police spokesman, Const Natasha Mbuyane, said Mr Santos Mahera (52) was reported missing on Saturday after he had been fishing naked in the river. “The men fish naked when they fish for chub.” His fellow fishermen told the police they had seen Mahera drowning in the river.
The White River Police Diving Unit was called in on Sunday to search the river for Mahera. Capt Pottie Potgieter said their team, with the SAPS helicopter, searched the area until Tuesday when they spotted the body from the air. Potgieter added that he was found about two kilometres from where he had last been seen alive.
Read more here: Elderly tourist escapes jaws of crocodile
“His right leg and genital area were mauled, so we presume a crocodile had attacked him.” Police have opened an inquest case and are investigating the cause of death. On December 2 a 63-year-old fisherman survived a crocodile attack in the same river after the reptile had grabbed him while he was reeling a fish out of the water.
Mr Allan Peeters, a holidaymaker from the Free State, was fishing at the Komati low-water bridge with friends and family in the afternoon. When he hooked a fish and moved closer to the water to reel it in, a crocodile launched itself out of the water and grabbed him, and dragged him in. The two struggled and Peeters somehow managed to get to safety. His companions contacted emergency services.
Securicon Lowveld’s ambulance service responded and a local doctor was called in to help stabilise Peeters before he was rushed to Mediclinic Nelspruit. According to Mr Pieter du Plooy of the ambulance service, Peeters’ left forearm was bitten off, his right wrist was crushed, and he sustained soft-tissue damage to his right leg.
