Police have called off a search for the bodies of as many as 60 Zimbabweans believed to have drowned last week when they tried to sneak across the Limpopo River into South Africa, state radio reported on Thursday.
The search was called off late on Wednesday ”after a two-day fruitless search along the river by foot and aircraft patrol search units from both Zimbabwe and South Africa”, the radio report said.
Quoting unconfirmed reports, the state-run Herald newspaper said the death toll from the incident last Friday night ”could be as high as 60”.
The victims, who appear to have been trying to get into South Africa across the crocodile-infested Limpopo — which is in flood at this time of year — disappeared in the Dite area, 60km from Beitbridge border post. Initial reports put the casualty figure at between 15 and 18.
The South African civil protection unit joined in the search for bodies along a 60km downriver stretch, while underwater units from the Zimbabwe police area scoured a 6km area. Foot patrols were also dispatched to the site to interview villagers.
”The announcement [that the search was being called off] was made at a Beitbridge civil protection unit meeting held last night and chaired by the police officer commanding Beitbridge district,” said the report.
The incident has prompted police patrols to step up surveillance along the banks of the Limpopo River.
South Africa is battling to stop the flow of illegal immigrants from its struggling northern neighbour.
Last year alone, it deported 97 000 illegal Zimbabwean immigrants, but reports say many try to sneak back into the country, desperate to escape economic hardships back home. Sometimes groups of border jumpers hold hands to form a human chain as they try to cross the Limpopo. — Sapa-dpa