A 43 year-old Kempton Park man disappeared in the Vaal Dam yesterday, 3 August, after his hovercraft landed in the dam and while he was swimming ashore.
NSRI Vaal Dam volunteer sea rescue crew, the area’s fire and rescue services , plus the SAP all tried to find the man, while ER ambulance services were on standby at the scene. The hovercraft was found on the water 2 km from the man’s holiday home in Draaifontein, but no sign of the man was found.
Dick Manten, NSRI Vaal Dam station commander, said at 7.41 pm yesterday duty crew were activated following reports of a man missing on the Vaal Dam in Villiers, about 50 km by road from the NSRI base at Manten Marina. “Our NSRI volunteer crew towed our rescue boat Harvey’s Fibreglass to the scene.
“The man’s daughter, son and girlfriend reported to NSRI that the missing man was out on a hovercraft on the dam on a day’s pleasure cruise but had failed to return on schedule,” Manten said.
It was then confirmed that an eye-witness saw the man go under water as early as 3 pm. that afternoon. His hovercraft had apparently run out of fuel and the man was swimming ashore when he went under.
Police will continue with a dive search today in an attempt to locate and recover a body.
“Midvaal Fire and Rescue Services trauma counsellors assisted the family,” Manten added.
(edited)
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