The body of Ballito resident Ryan Leach, who went missing near Glendale yesterday afternoon, was found this morning after an extensive search operation.

It is understood Leach went out dirt-biking alone on a single-track path at around midday before getting into an accident and falling off his bike.

“At 12:30 he was able to call his brother-in-law for help and sent a pin of his location. He was travelling down towards a valley in the area at the time,” said IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Dylan Meyrick.

“On arrival at the site soon after the call, a search group found the bike using the pin, but unfortunately Leach was nowhere to be found.”

Given the terrain, which is undulating and with lots of natural bush, he could not be located and a large search and rescue operation was launched.

Family, friends, search and rescue teams, paramedics and the biking community all arrived to help and the wider search began at around 14:30, said Meyrick.

“The group searched as long as they possibly could before weather and bad light forced the search to be called off at around 02:00,” he said.

“Four search and rescue dogs as well as a thermal imaging drone were brought in, but unfortunately with no luck.”

Teams were back on the ground at first light this morning and volunteers located Leach, who had since passed away, an estimated 300m from where the bike was found.

An outpouring of condolences have since been shared on social media and local WhatsApp groups after the news was circulated this morning.

Leach is survived by his wife Nancy and two young daughters aged eight and one respectively.