Durban — A body was found and recovered floating at the bottom of Howick Falls on Friday morning.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that police in Howick had opened an inquest case for investigation.
“The police received reports of a drowning, and together with the rescue team responded to the scene where the body was recovered. Circumstances which might have led to the drowning are being investigated,” Netshiunda said.
Midlands EMS spokesperson Roland Robertson said that Midlands EMS crews were dispatched to Howick Falls just after 9.15am. Robertson said that Midlands EMS paramedics, along with SAPS Search and Rescue, made their way to the bottom of the falls with specialised rescue equipment.
He said that on arrival, it was established there there was in fact a body floating on the side of the pool at the bottom of the falls.
“It was established that it had been there for a few days, due to the state of the body. The deceased was carried to the top of the falls and handed over to local SAPS,” Robertson said.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, on Wednesday afternoon Mi7 national group spokesperson Colin David said they received reports of a body spotted afloat in the Duzi River near Camps Drift.
David said that it was believed the body was spotted by a young couple on a picnic, as well as local fishermen. He said that Mi7 National Group’s Emergency Medical Services and Strategic Threat Response units were immediately dispatched to the location. The police’s Search and Rescue and K9 Search and Rescue units were also notified to assist with recovering the body.
“Mi7 teams arrived to find the body of an unidentified adult floating in the river a few metres away from the embankment,” David said. “The body was recovered and the individual was declared deceased. At this stage, the gender of the deceased, as well as the cause of death, is unclear.”
At the time, police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said Mountain Rise police had opened an inquest docket for investigation following the incident.
“Circumstances which led to the drowning are being investigated.”
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