Late yesterday afternoon, on New Year’s Eve, Mi7 Rescue Teams were dispatched to the Henley Dam area after requests for assistance in the search for a man who was swept away while crossing a low-lying bridge in a vehicle.
The man is believed to have been one of three occupants in the vehicle – which was recovered by community members. Community members and SANDF personnel also recovered the deceased bodies of a woman and a child who were in the vehicle when it was swept away by the rapids.
The incident comes as heavy rains poured in the region, causing flooding across the province.
Mi7 Rescue teams joined their counterparts from IPSS and Start Rescue, as well as SAPS Search and Rescue teams from Durban Metro and Port Shepstone, to carry out the search for the man this morning.
Rescue teams braved icy water and heavy rapids in a four-hour search for the man. However, their efforts were unfortunately unsuccessful.
We pass our condolences to the loved ones of the deceased. We also extend our gratitude to the brave community members and SANDF personnel who risked their own lives to pull the woman and child from the river.
0800 647 911
Your Trust, Our Protection
Vehicle with family swept away – Pietermaritzberg https://t.co/tSixgulUUl #ArriveAlive #Flooding @IPSSRescue
– Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) January 1, 2024