Police officer lowered into crocodile-infested river to recover human remains
South African police have managed to recover the human remains of a police officer who was dropped from a helicopter into a crocodile-infested river last week to search for a flooded businessman.
The reptile suspected of eating the missing man had already been killed, but Captain Johan “Pottie” Potgieter said it was still a nerve-wracking experience.
“The sharp end of a crocodile is not the best place to approach it.” He told the News24 website.
They were both removed from the Komati River in the north-east of the country after Potgieter secured the animal with a rope.
DNA tests will be conducted to confirm whether the remains belong to the missing man.
His car became stranded last week while trying to cross a low bridge across a flooded river. Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said the area was empty when police arrived at the scene, leading police to suspect he had been swept away by the water. he told national broadcaster SABC..
Potgieter, the police diving unit commander, said authorities used drones and helicopters on the search mission and spotted a small island where many crocodiles were basking in the sun.
He said that based on years of experience, they could tell if one of the animals had eaten recently.
“As well as having a very full belly, he did not move or try to slide into the river despite the sound of the drones and the helicopter,” he told News24.
The reptile was then killed before Potgieter could take action. Police described it as “an extremely dangerous and complex operation” to save him.
The massive crocodile, which stood 4.5 m (15 ft) tall and weighed 500 kg (1,100 lb), was later taken to the nearby Kruger National Park, where human remains were discovered in its intestines.
Potgieter said that in addition to the body parts, six different types of shoes were also found. He said that could indicate that he had killed other people, but that wasn’t necessarily the case: “A crocodile will eat or swallow anything.”
South Africa’s acting police chief, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, praised Potgieter for his bravery.
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