Fatal New Year’s Eve crossing: PMB family perish after vehicle gets swept away

2023 ended on a tragic note for a family of three when their vehicle was swept away in the turbulent waters of the Msunduzi River near Henley Dam in Pietermaritzburg.

According to emergency services, IPSS Search and Rescue, the driver of the vehicle attempted to cross the river on New Year’s Eve, but it was swept away and became submerged under the water, prompting an urgent response from emergency personnel.

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IPSS Search and Rescue, upon receiving reports of the incident, reported that they initiated a search operation.

Search postponed

However, the emergency service agency reported that due to the combination of heavy rain and low visibility, the search was inevitably postponed until the next morning.

With the dawn of the new year, emergency personnel confirmed that the vehicle was successfully retrieved from the river by a collaborative effort involving members of the community and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

Tragically, IPSS confirmed that the bodies of an adult female and a seven-year-old boy were discovered within the recovered vehicle.

Both victims were handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

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Despite the efforts of the search and rescue teams, an adult male remains missing, intensifying the ongoing search along the riverbanks.

The joint efforts of IPSS Search and Rescue, Port Shepstone SAPS Search and Rescue, START RESCUE, Metro Police Search and Rescue, and Mi7 are currently focused on locating the missing man. The search will extend from the point of submersion to Henley Dam.