SAPS divers recover 5 bodies across Gauteng in a week
The police cautioned people to be careful around dams and other bodies of water, as at least five bodies were retrieved by Gauteng police divers recently.
Members from Gauteng’s SAPS diving unit recently recovered five bodies in a matter of one week.
From March 15 to 21, divers from the SAPS Gauteng Water Policing and Diving Services were deployed to six separate incidents in Gauteng, which resulted in the recovery of five bodies.
On March 15, Sedibeng SAPS members patrolling The Barrage, Vaal on a vessel for a possible missing person managed to recover and remove approximately 150m of illegal fishing nets. No official missing person report was however lodged at Barrage SAPS.
On the evening of March 16, members of Tshwane Water Policing and Diving Services responded to a scene in Eersterust where a body was visible in a dam. The police managed to recover the body of a 63-year-old man before midnight.
On March 19 Ekurhuleni SAPS were called to a scene at a field in Phumlani, Springs, opposite Etwatwa where a badly decomposed body was recovered and handed to Springs detectives for investigation. The same afternoon members recovered a foetus from the Kaalspruit River in Welamlambo Section, Tembisa.
On the same day members were called out to Klipriver the body of an unknown man was successfully recovered.
Later that day, Tshwane members attended a drowning incident at a resort in the Welbekend policing precinct. A 33-year-old man was walking on rocks when he slipped, hit his head on rocks and fell into the water. Divers recovered the victim’s body at a depth of around 3m.
Inquest dockets for these cases are currently under investigation. Anyone with information regarding these incidents are encouraged to contact the relevant SAPS station or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
The police said people venturing into dams, rivers, or waters for any activity, are advised to do so only with a life jacket. “Witnesses to water-related incidents are urged to provide multiple landmarks to pinpoint locations for immediate search and rescue efforts.”
The public are constantly reminded that fishing with nets is illegal and constitutes a criminal offense.
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