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The body of a 23-year-old missing from the Northen Cape, Pierre Lotter, and those of his two dachshunds dogs were found washed up in Melkbosstrand at Haakgat Beach on Sunday, Table View police confirmed.
“I heard this morning the body of one of the missing men had indeed washed up on shore in Melkbosstrand,” says Capt Adriana Chandler, Table View police spokesperson. “The detective is currently at Melkbos Police Station. The body will be sent to the morgue for an autopsy.
The bodies of two dogs, which had gone missing with the two men, also washed ashore. Lotter, a friend Willem Pretorius (47) and the three dachshunds dogs went fishing at Kids Rock in Bloubergstrand last Tuesday 14 May.
Pretorius was found dead in Bloubergstrand (in the vicinity of the Blue Peter Hotel) while Lotter and three dachshund dogs were reported missing. At the time of their disappearance Hein Köhne, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Melkbosstrand station commander, said they were alerted by concerned relatives of the two men and their three dogs, who had last been heard from around 18:30 on Tuesday after going fishing in the Bloubergstrand area, on Kids Rock, in the afternoon.
“It was determined that the two men, aged 47 and 23, from Kathu, Northern Cape and their three dachshund dogs had been fishing at Kids Rock, off-shore of Bloubergstrand, in the vicinity of the Blue Peter Hotel. NSRI Melkbosstrand activated its crew, who responded to investigate and, after arriving in the area, following a brief search the 47-year-old man was found lifeless on the beach near the Blue Peter Hotel,” Köhne says.
Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesperson, told TygerBurger on Monday morning formal identification remained in the process in cooperation with family, the police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
“The bodies of two of the missing dogs were also located and recovered on Sunday. Another of the missing dogs was located and recovered, also dead, during the week by City of Cape Town staff.”
NSRI medics initiated CPR efforts. CPR continued to be performed on the man while a search for Lotter and the dogs commenced.
It is still unclear what caused the death of the man.
Incoming tide
“It is believed that they were fishing from Kids Rock and they had been there the day before, fishing at Kids Rock, as well,” Köhne said. “We believe they had reached the rock at low tide but during the incoming high tide, that peaked at 20:30, we suspect that somewhere between 18:30 and 19:30, they may have tried to swim across the channel. Condolences are conveyed to the family and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time, while a search continued for the missing man and the dogs.”
Police could also not confirm if the third dachshunds dog was found. “Two dogs that had gone missing with the two men also washed up on shore,” Chandler said.
A message from the family of the two deceased men has been released to NSRI for publication on behalf of the family.
“From our family, we would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who helped in the search to find our son Pierre and his dogs.
Words cannot describe the appreciation we have for all the City Law Enforcement, NSRI (Craig of NSRI, NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, NSRI Melkbosstrand and NSRI Table Bay), the SAPS Dive Unit (Warrant Officer Gert Voigt and his Water Policing and Diving Services team), Table View Police, Cape Town Fire and Rescue, EMS, Big Bay Surf Lifesaving, Government Health Forensic Pathology Services, counsellors, the community and all the individuals who searched, donated items and offered support finding our son Pierre.”
The family said they were overwhelmed by the number of people who stopped and rushed to help search for Lotter and his beloved dogs.
“Thank you to the emergency services on the scene for their tremendous efforts to resuscitate Willem. Unfortunately their efforts did not succeed and sadly Willem passed on.
