Body of missing man found after car crashed into Hartbeespoort Dam

The search for a man who went missing after plunging into the Hartbeespoort Dam on Saturday has been called off.

The body of 36-year-old Robert Ganyani Bila was found on Tuesday morning, Kormorant reports.

His car was found partially submerged in dense water hyacinth on Saturday night.

ALSO READ: Search continues for missing man who plunged into Hartbeespoort Dam

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), rescue swimmers and the police’s diving unit responded to the scene.

The car was towed out of the dam, but no body was found. It was thought the man was ejected from his vehicle during the accident.

The NSRI’s Andrew Crewe told Kormorant the 36-year-old missing man’s wife was on the phone with him around 8pm on Saturday evening, but then lost contact. 

The car was later spotted in the dam by a Big D Towing truck driver, who then called police and security services. 

The NSRI’s Arthur Crewe said when the organisation arrived at the scene, Bila’s wife was already there.

He said the thick blanket of hyacinth made search efforts “very difficult”.

Police spokesperson Captain Aafje Botma said Bila was originally from Bela-Bela in Limppo, and was living in Atteridgeville, Pretoria at the time of his death.

An inquest has been opened, and investigations into his death continue.

ALSO READ: Injured dog rescued from middle of Hartbeespoort Dam

Edited by Nica Richards.

This article first appeared on Caxton publication Kormorant’s website. Read the original article here.