The Makana municipality in the Eastern Cape is in mourning after the tragic discovery of a teenager’s body in the Kowie River on Wednesday morning.
A 14-year-old grade 8 pupil was swept away by strong currents while trying to cross the river after school on Monday.
Makana municipality mayor Yandiswa Vara visited the family of the teenager on Tuesday morning to inform them of efforts to look for her and to comfort them during this period. However, news of her drowning tragically followed the visit.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the young girl. We are saddened by the tragic loss of her young life,” she said.
Vara said the municipality had been engaging with the relevant stakeholders in efforts to intensify the search and rescue operations since becoming aware of the incident.
Vara had contacted district and provincial police to request assistance to strengthen search and rescue efforts on Monday.
Police had since confirmed that arrangements for search and rescue teams to come out on Tuesday were already in place, while arrangements for air support were ongoing.
Other efforts including drones, together with divers and search and rescue teams from Nxuba (formerly Cradock) and KuGompo City (formerly East London), also assisted in the search.
The Herald
Herald Reporter
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