News

Search still on for South Africans missing in Mozambique

A large search operation is currently underway to try and locate the four young people who went missing from Portuguese Island in Mozambique on Monday.

January 15, 2019

Jana Boshoff 2 minutes read

A woman from Groblersdal (Limpopo) asked for help on the DriveMoz Facebook group on Monday night. Her neighbour in Groblersdal asked for her assistance after he was contacted by his daughter, telling him that four of her friends have been missing since Monday 15:00.

The group of young people, said to be in their 20’s, were on holiday in Mozambique and took a boat to the Portuguese Island, adjacent to Inhaca, on Monday.

One of the boats involved in the seach scans the shore for signs of the missing swimmers. Photo: Supplied

Some of them went swimming and were swept away from shore by a strong current. One person was rescued whilst four swimmers are still missing.

Sara Currie Millar, an administrator on the DriveMoz group, said on Tuesday that the search was still underway. DriveMoz members rallied together after learning of the news, offering assistance to the traumatized group of four young people who survived the ordeal and liaising with Mozambican authorities to help with the search for the missing persons.

Also read: Four young people from Groblersdal missing in Mozambique

The captain of the boat that took the group to the island searched for the missing people as long as daylight permitted.

Mrs Millar said that he was back on the sea at 04:00 on Tuesday morning to continue his search.

A photo of the area where the group went swimming. The search party can be seen in the background. Photo: Supplied

She was full of praise for Mozambican officials as well as DriveMoz members who have been participating in the search.

The young people who survived the ordeal were supported by good Samaritans in Maputo.

The Portugese Island from where the group went missing. (Supplied by Sara Currie Millar)

Their parents traveled to Mozambique early on Tuesday morning. All the parents of the group involved have been notified about the situation.

South African Embassy officials in Mozambique have also been in contact with them.

A South African expat who is currently on Portugese Island said that a large number of boats as well as a helicopter are participating in the search. He confirmed at 14:30 that the search was still continuing but that they have not managed to find any of the missing persons yet.

Members on the DriveMoz group have offered messages of support and prayer for the safe return of the missing swimmers on Facebook.