The dramatic rescue of Francois Maree, who was plucked by a police helicopter from the raging Buffalo River early yesterday, was caught on video.

Francois and a friend, Eugene van Aswegan, who both work for local farmer, Hein Potgieter, were on jet skis on the Buffalo River helping search for Warrant Officer Juggan, his wife, Molly, and friend, Ashok Rajoo, who went missing along with Warrant Officer Juggan’s police van on Friday evening.

With the rapids in the Buffalo River raging adjacent to Barry Scott’s farm on the Nquthu road,  Eugene managed to get to safety while Francois got into difficultities when his jet ski struck a rock. He managed to have the presence of mind to make it to calmer water in the river and tied himself to a willow tree. He spent the Monday night there while Eugene raised the alarm.

Police Search and Rescue Units were on the scene and after the divers realised the water was too rough, a chopper was brought in to rescue Francois much to the relief of family and friends watching.