A retired couple vacationing in South Africa has been found murdered in a crocodile-infested river, with authorities suspecting poachers are responsible for the brutal attack.
Ernst Marais, 71, and his wife Dina, 73, were spending a week at Kruger National Park on an animal-filled safari last Wednesday. When they failed to return from their sightseeing excursion, a 24-hour search operation was launched on Thursday, involving both land and air teams. However, it was a group of tourists who discovered the couple's bodies floating in a river the following morning, according to the Cape Times.
High-Priority Investigation Launched
Limpopo Police have initiated a high-priority investigation into the murder and hijacking of the couple, who were from Mossel Bay, near Cape Town. A spokesperson for South African National Parks (SANParks) stated that authorities initially hoped the couple's vehicle had gone off the road or broken down due to heavy flooding in the area, until they received a report of the two bodies.
The couple is believed to have been found with multiple stab wounds and their hands tied behind their backs, according to the U.K. Sun. A SANParks source described the attack as brutal, noting that the victims were thrown into the river, likely intended for crocodiles, and their 4x4 vehicle was stolen.
Poachers as Prime Suspects
The couple's vehicle remains missing, leading investigators to believe they may have been hijacked after encountering a group of poachers who killed them to prevent them from speaking out. The source added that the pickup truck would have been an easy way to transport any illegal items, and there are unfenced routes across the river into Mozambique.
SANParks expressed shock and sadness in a press release on Saturday following the discovery of the bodies in the Pafuri section of the park. In a social media post on Monday, the organization stated that it continues to mourn the tragic loss and noted that this incident is unprecedented in the park's 100-year history, which spans over 2 million hectares and shares borders with Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
The investigation is ongoing.
