Car, body of man found underwater in Hartbeespoort Dam

The body of a man was found in a car that had somehow ended up submerged in the Hartbeespoort Dam in North West. It is unclear when and how the car ended up in the water.

Arthur Crewe, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) station commander at the Hartbeespoort Dam, said a Strategic Response and Rescue Unit (SRU) was activated on Tuesday at 12.43pm following eyewitness reports of a vehicle submerged in the dam between the Snake Park and the Hartbeespoort Dam bridge.

“SRU members, who are also NSRI Hartbeespoort Dam crew members, were on the dam at the time on an SRU rescue craft and they responded to the scene to investigate,” said Crewe.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) were also activated.

“On arrival on the scene, a vehicle was found submerged in the water. NSRI and SRU rescue swimmers free-dived on the vehicle and a safety line was attached to the submerged vehicle from a towing services vehicle.

“The rescue team, while free-diving on the vehicle, was able to break into the vehicle and the body of a man was recovered from the vehicle and taken on board the SRU rescue craft.”

The body was brought to the NSRI rescue station, where HEMS paramedics declared the man dead.

“The body of the unidentified man has been taken into the care of police and government health forensic pathology services and [the] police have opened an inquest docket,” Crewe added.

Police in the province could not be reached for comment.

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