DURBAN - Police Search and Rescue recovered the body of a woman who drowned after the vehicle she was travelling in was washed off a low-level bridge in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
“At 1.20pm, the body of the female passenger, believed to be in her late 20s was recovered by SAPS Search and Rescue in the submerged vehicle located approximately 2m below the surface,” said Underberg Emergency Medical Service (UEMS) paramedic Ryall McAlister on Saturday.
McAlister said a local towing company was also in the process of removing the vehicle.
Police said an inquest docket was opened by police after Pietermaritzburg Search and Rescue and Pietermaritzburg K9 Search and Rescue members were called to assist Himeville SAPS with a body recovery.
Police said circumstances surrounding the incident were still under investigation.
“The driver of a vehicle lost control and drove into the Sani Valley lodge dam. The driver managed to escape. The passenger was entrapped inside the vehicle. All the necessary role players were informed. K9 Chazz was utilised and an area was pointed out,” police said.
“A dive operation was conducted and the vehicle was located. Members recovered the body from the vehicle and handed the body over to station members from Himeville police station.”
On Friday, UEMS had reported that at 10pm, their crews were dispatched to a lodge in Underberg for a motor vehicle crash.
“On arrival, crews found a single vehicle that had slipped off a dam wall, into a dam. The vehicle was submerged,” McAlister said.
“As per the lodge manager, there were two occupants of the vehicle. One occupant managed to escape. The gentleman walked approximately 2km to find help. Unfortunately, a female passenger was still in the vehicle.”
McAlister made a call to SAPS Search and Rescue. Due to the weather conditions and poor visibility, search and rescue teams would only begin search and recovery of the vehicle on Saturday morning at first light.
Daily News