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Third Body Recovered After Nine-Day Search in Mpumalanga River

The recovery brings closure to a prolonged search and highlights the difficulty of river rescues, with police continuing inquiries into how the vehicle plunged into the Crocodile River.

Overview

  • A vehicle reportedly lost control and plunged into the Crocodile River near KaMagugu, and two occupants — a 20-year-old man and a young woman estimated 18–23 — were recovered shortly after the crash.
  • After nine days of searching, police confirmed they found 21-year-old Zenande Chiloane stuck under a tree on a river island and recovered his body on 16 June.
  • The Mpumalanga Police Diving Unit led a coordinated operation that used drones, police divers and swimmers to examine river channels and islands that aerial searches could not fully view.
  • Search teams said dense vegetation, overhanging trees and river islands blocked drone visibility and forced targeted in-water searches of obscured sections.
  • Police believe the occupants drowned when the vehicle entered the river, they have not released further details about the crash, and formal investigations into the circumstances are ongoing.