Africa Wild

2012-06-24 20:14

Johannesburg - Two KwaZulu-Natal field rangers have gone missing while trying to paddle a canoe they had confiscated, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife says.

Searches throughout the weekend failed to find them, the organisation in a statement.

The rangers were part of a foot patrol of four which spotted four gill nets in Lake Nhlabane, at the Enseleni Nature Reserve, on Friday, it said.

"Nearby was a large canoe that they assumed was for the individual[s] who had put-up the gill nets."

The rangers decided to confiscate the items.

"Two rangers jumped into the canoe as it would have been too heavy to carry it," Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said.

The other two walked to the car park. However, the rangers in the canoe did not arrived to meet them.

Police divers and the dog unit were called in, but searches on Friday and Saturday yielded no results.

On Sunday, a rowing paddle believed to be used by one of the missing field rangers was found.

"Ezemvelo remains resolute that the two rangers are still alive and will not give up the search until contrary information emerges," it said.

- SAPA

2012-06-25 09:19

Durban - Authorities remained hopeful that search teams looking for two Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field rangers who went missing on Friday afternoon on Nhlabane Lake near Richards Bay will find the men alive.

Various authorities, including Ezemvelo, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the police and the Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA) pulled together during the weekend to launch a full-scale search and rescue operation for the men, who were paddling in a large canoe.

A solitary rowing paddle is the only thing that the teams have been able to find thus far.

Canoe

Ezemvelo spokesperson Musa Mntambo told The Witness that the two men, who are stationed at Enseleni Nature Reserve, were part of a team of four rangers who found four gill nets near a large canoe in the lake on Friday afternoon.

“They decided to remove them [the nets] and take them to where they had parked their official cars. Nearby was a large canoe that they assumed was for the individual/s who had put up the gill nets,” explained Mntambo.

The rangers decided to confiscate the canoe and use it to transport the four nets to their official cars. “Two rangers jumped into the canoe as it would have been too heavy to carry it, whilst the other two walked on foot to where the cars were parked,” said Mntambo.

Sadly, their colleagues waited in vain for the two men to arrive at the meeting point.

“The two officials on foot arrived at the parking spot before the two rangers in a canoe. This was strange as it was expected that the rangers who had paddled to the parking spot would have arrived first. Cellphone connection with the rangers who were in the canoe failed and, at that time, this was attributed to poor mobile network connection in the area,” Mntam­bo added.

Optimistic

Ezemvelo then intensified their search efforts. This was followed by the involvement of the NSRI, which deployed its sea rescue craft Rotary Anne to the lake, as well as a team of divers from the Border Police and the Dog Unit from Pietermaritzburg.

A “night sun” search light on the TNPA’s PortNet search and rescue helicopter was also used in the operation.

Dorian Robertson, NSRI Richards Bay station commander warned that the lake’s waters are known to be infested with crocodiles and hippo. While the teams had called off their search for the day on Sunday evening, Mntambo stressed that they would resume early on Monday.

“Ezemvelo remains resolute that the two rangers are still alive and will not give up the search until contrary information emerges. The names of the rangers involved will only be divulged at a later stage,” said Mntambo.

2012-06-25 16:02

Johannesburg - A confiscated canoe that two field rangers were using when they disappeared has been found, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife said on Monday.

Rangers Mbazwani Mhlongo, 57, and Phumlani Mthembu, 34, went missing at Lake Nhlabane, in the Enseleni Nature Reserve, on Friday, spokesperson Musa Mntambo said in a statement.

Searches of the area led to the discovery of the canoe they were last seen in, but Mhlongo and Mthembu had not been found by 1.30pm on Monday.

A police helicopter and sniffer dogs had also joined the search.

Mhlongo had worked at Enseleni Nature Reserve since 1976.

"He was recently honoured during the Ezemvelo's excellency awards as the 2011 best field ranger," Mntambo said.

Mthembu joined Ezemvelo in 1995, and was recently transferred from Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park to Enseleni Nature Reserve.

The men were part of a four-man patrol that on Friday found four gill nets and a canoe at the reserve, which they decided to confiscate.

Mhlongo and Mthembu opted to paddle the canoe back to base, while the other two walked back.

On Sunday, a paddle was found, believed to be one used by the missing field rangers.

Ezemvelo Wildlife said it believed the two rangers were still alive and would not give up the search until contrary information emerged.

- SAPA

2012-06-25 18:24

Johannesburg - One of two missing KwaZulu-Natal field rangers has been found dead, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said on Monday.

Spokesperson Musa Mntambo said the ranger appeared to have drowned. A post mortem would be carried out to determine the exact cause of death.

Mntambo said recovery operations had disturbed the water, making it murky, and searches of that section would resume on Tuesday morning.

He said the second ranger was still missing and police were continuing the search.

Earlier Mntambo named the rangers as Mbazwani Mhlongo, 57, and Phumlani Mthembu, 34, but he said he could not reveal which man was found dead because the family was still being notified.

The men went missing at Lake Nhlabane in the Enseleni Nature Reserve on Friday. They were part of a four-man patrol that found four gill nets and a canoe at the reserve, which they decided to confiscate.

Mhlongo and Mthembu opted to paddle the canoe back to base, while the other two walked back.

Earlier on Monday the canoe was spotted and on Sunday a paddle, believed to be one of those used by the missing rangers, was found.

- SAPA

Sad news indeed, my condolences to their families

What a tragedy!

2012-06-26 14:27

Durban - A second missing KwaZulu-Natal field ranger has been found dead, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said on Tuesday.

The body was discovered close to where the first ranger was found dead on Monday, spokesperson Musa Mntambo said.

Mbazwani Mhlongo, 57, and Phumlani Mthembu, 34, went missing at Lake Nhlabane in the Enseleni Nature Reserve on Friday.

They were part of a four-man patrol that found four gill nets and a canoe at the reserve, which they decided to confiscate.

Mhlongo and Mthembu opted to paddle the canoe back to base, while the other two walked back.

On Sunday a paddle - believed to be one of those used by the missing rangers - was found. The empty canoe was discovered on Monday morning.

Mntambo said arrangements were being made to bring the families of the two rangers to a local mortuary, to identify the bodies.

Post-mortems would be conducted to determine the cause of death. Trauma debriefing and counselling for both families, and the two men's colleagues, had been arranged.

Ezemvelo chief executive Dr Bandile Mkhize expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.

- SAPA

How terrible!!

My thoughts and prayers go out to the grieving families. Such a tragedy.