Search for missing man in Hennops River continues

Tshwane emergency services and supporting agencies are still searching for a man who went missing in the Hennops River this past weekend.

The metro’s Emergency Services Department (ESD) called off searching yesterday due to heavy rain.

This incident was reported to the Emergency Communication Centre (ECC) at 07:15 on Sunday, December 22 as a drowning at West Avenue near the Supersport Park Cricket Stadium.

The ECC immediately dispatched firefighting resources from Centurion Fire Station to the scene.

“On arrival, the firefighters and rescuers from our fire and rescue operations division, together with the divers from the South African Police Service’s water unit, found out that a man of unconfirmed age, who allegedly fled from the custody of the security guards, had run into the river and got swept away by the strong current,” said ESD spokesperson, Lindsay Mnguni.

“The firefighters and police divers immediately began with search and rescue operations where they painstakingly searched inside the river and on the riverbanks. The search was a very intricate and risky one due to the rising water levels and the strong currents, as there was rainfall upstream. After hours of intensive search operations, the search was suspended due to safety concerns for the search and rescue personnel,” said Mnguni.

The responding emergency services included a fire engine and a rapid intervention unit. Other resources were dispatched from the Central Fire Station and Innesdale Fire Station as backup. These included a swift water rescue, video and district commander’s units.

The search efforts resumed the following morning on December 23, though Mnguni says the wet weather conditions still make their task difficult.

“Due to the heavy rains that occurred overnight, the river continues to present unsafe working conditions to enter and do search and rescue. The search and rescue teams will continue to monitor the river conditions to safely perform their operations,” he said.

The ESD is asking residents to remain alert during the current weather conditions in the city, which can include disruptive rains, isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers.

The impact of such weather conditions can include:

–              Localised flooding, especially in susceptible low-lying areas, informal settlements and susceptible roads, heavy downpours, large amounts of small hail and damaging winds.

–              Minor to major vehicle accidents due to poor driving visibility and slippery road conditions.

–              Localised service disruptions due to power failures and other damage to infrastructure.

Residents are urged to make use of the following safety tips:

–              Be aware that any combination of hail, strong winds, heavy rain and/or excessive lighting can accompany thunderstorms.

–              If possible, stay indoors and away from metal objects which may be hit by lightning.

–              Do not seek shelter under isolated trees or tall objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, etc) if there is a thunderstorm.

–              Avoid crossing flooded low-lying roads, bridges and swollen streams.

–              Where rising water levels are observed, move to higher grounds.

–              When outdoors during lightning activity, immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water.

Residents are also strongly urged to stay informed and monitor short-term weather forecasts and any warnings or alerts issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) and other credible sources and to immediately follow the recommended safety tips.

To report any fire or rescue emergency incident, please call 107 toll-free or call 012 358 6300/6400.

When reporting an emergency, please remain calm; speak clearly; know where you are to give the correct address; and give your correct contact number to allow the operator to phone you back should they require doing so.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram