Ice cold death

A middle-aged man had onlookers gasping for breath when he undressed and plunged into the ice cold waters of a dam in downtown Modimolle on Monday 1 July.

Eyewitness accounts suggest the man started to undress on the banks of the dam at about 9:00 before taking everybody by surprise when he leapt into the dark waters.

One eyewitness said the man did swim around for a while, and then swam back to the dam wall.

It was at this stage that the man failed to find balance, slipping and then fell back into the dark depths of the dam.

According to Warrant Officer James Findlay, spokesperson for the Modimolle Police, another eyewitness confirmed that he saw the man get undressed before he jumped into the dark, cold water.

He swam around several times and returned to the dam wall, where tragedy struck.

He was unable to get out and disappeared.

The eyewitness told the police he ran around the dam trying to see the man beneath the water, but to no avail.

It was then that the eyewitness summoned for help.

The police search and rescue team, as well as two specialist divers from

Polokwane, hurried to the scene.

One of the divers, fastened with a security line, dove down next to the dam wall in search of the man’s body, while members of the search and rescue team held onto the line.

After only a few meters into the water, the diver the body and it was brought to the surface, where He was placed into a body bag.

The estimated depth of the dam is about three metres.

More than a hundred bystanders watched the events play out, wondering on the cause of the tragedy.

The man’s identity is not known and the police request anyone with information to contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Ciska Fourie on 082 927 7756.

— The BEAT