The body of missing Langebaan hiker Hermie van Zyl (74) appears to have been found, although SAPS says it cannot confirm that it is Van Zyl until the body has been formally identified.

Knysna-Plett Herald reports that after an intensive search yesterday, a body was discovered close to where his hat was found on Tuesday.

Discovery near Tsitsikamma trail

The spot is along the Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve, in the direction of the Heuningbos hut to Sleepkloof hut. A helicopter is in the process of recovering the body today.

Social media is abuzz with reports that the body recovered in Tsitsikamma is indeed that of Van Zyl.

Intensive search effort

Van Zyl, a dental technician from Langebaan, was reported missing last Wednesday morning by the hiking group he was with.

He was separated from the group on the Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve trail last Tuesday afternoon, in the direction of the Heuningbos hut to Sleepkloof hut.

Van Zyl was last seen when he went to relieve himself and never rejoined his hiking group. He was wearing denim shorts and a khaki short-sleeved, button-down shirt.

The intensive search was conducted by the SAPS Search-and-Rescue, SAPS Mounted Unit, SANParks rangers and personnel from the MTO Tsitsikamma Hiking Trail.

About 30 people were involved in the search, in which a SAPS helicopter also joined for two days.

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