Human remains have been found inside a crocodile in South Africa’s Komati River during a search for a missing businessman, local police have said.
The discovery followed a days-long search operation near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province, police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said on Sunday, describing the case as a suspected fatal crocodile attack. DNA tests will be conducted to confirm whether the remains belong to the missing man.
Authorities said the possible victim, a businessman from Gauteng, had been reported missing after his vehicle was found partially submerged on a low-lying bridge along the Komati River, an area known for strong currents and wildlife. Search teams intensified efforts amid difficult conditions following heavy rains that had caused flooding in the region.
The operation involved police divers, emergency responders and local authorities, who combed the river and surrounding areas.
Captain Pottie Potgieter of the Ehlanzeni Diving Unit said the team had monitored reptiles for several days before identifying a crocodile believed to be linked to the disappearance.
“They spotted the crocodiles at the same place now for the past four days,” Potgieter said. “With our experience and with the training we’ve had, we identified a crocodile there that we basically were 100% sure that had eaten the man that we are looking for.”
The crocodile, weighing about 500 kg, was airlifted from the river by police and flown to Kruger National Park, where a field necropsy confirmed it contained human remains.
Investigators with forensic teams are now working to establish the identity through DNA analysis. Police said the results would be critical in confirming whether the remains are those of the missing businessman. Authorities have not released the name of the victim, and no official identification has yet been made.
The incident is the second reported on the Komati River in nearly six months. In December, two soldiers were swept away while attempting to cross the same bridge. The body of one soldier was recovered shortly after, while partial remains believed to be those of the second were found six days later.
The Komati River, which runs along the border with Mozambique, is home to a significant population of crocodiles and has previously posed risks to residents and travelers, particularly during periods of high water levels and flooding.