Rescue teams in Mpumalanga have recovered remains believed to belong to the second South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member missing after their vehicle was swept away by the Nkomati River on Christmas Day near the Lebombo border post.
This update follows the December 25 incident during Operation Corona border security patrols near Komatipoort, where two SANDF soldiers' vehicle was swept away by strong currents while crossing a low-lying bridge toward the Lebombo border post with Mozambique. One soldier's body was recovered shortly after, as previously reported.
The second soldier's remains were located approximately two kilometers downstream. Mpumalanga Police spokesperson Donald Mdluli stated, “At this moment we cannot confirm that these are the remains of the missing soldier. We need to conduct DNA tests to ensure the identity of the remains that we found here.”
The recovery provides closure after challenging search efforts in the flood-prone border area. Authorities await forensic results to confirm identity and notify the family.
