/ 1 January 2002

SA troops drown in Burundi: third body found

The body of a third South African soldier was found on Sunday after one soldier drowned and three went missing during a water training exercise in Burundi, the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) said.

SANDF representative Colonel John Rolt said one body had been found on Friday immediately after the accident, and two on Sunday. The search for the last missing soldier — presumed drowned — would

continue.

Rolt could not name the dead men, as their next of kin have not yet been informed.

The SANDF said on Friday a number of soldiers were taking part in an airborne extraction exercise at a river near Bujumbura around 9.30am. Ten of them were acting as victims in the water, waiting to be hoisted by an SA Air Force helicopter.

”Six were safely extracted. The remaining four apparently disappeared under the water,” SANDF headquarters said in a statement. – Sapa