The lifeless body of an 11-year-old boy, whose identity remains undisclosed, was retrieved from the Dutyana River in Mt Ayliff. The young boy had tragically fallen into the river while playing with friends on a sunny Saturday, marking a devastating turn of events on the 13th of January.
Eyewitnesses on the scene recounted the unfortunate incident, revealing that the boy lost his footing and slipped into the perilous river. Following the distress call, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Fire and Rescue teams swiftly responded to recover the submerged body. Subsequent to SAPS’s initial efforts, the Forensic department officially confirmed the identity of the young victim.
This heart-wrenching occurrence echoes a similar tragedy in the region just a week prior. In that instance, a six-year-old went missing while swimming with friends, resulting in a search conducted by the Kokstad SAPS. Unfortunately, due to challenging conditions, the Fire & Rescue department has yet to retrieve the presumed body of the child, leaving the family in profound sorrow and unable to proceed with funeral arrangements.
The devastating toll of heavy rains in the Mzimkhulu, Kwa-Zulu Natal area claimed the lives of another six individuals who drowned while attempting to cross floods. Authorities stress the urgent need for heightened parental vigilance, as reports of children drowning in rivers continue to surge. While some water bodies have security measures in place, locals emphasize the impossibility of guarding every section of the deep waters with a single person.
