KWAZULU-NATAL. – John Matambu het nadat hy Saterdagoggend vermoedelik van Sodwanabaai aan die Noordkus naby die grens van Mosambiek met die boot Magnum Too vertrek het, vermis geraak. Die uitgebrande Magnum Too is intussen gevind.
Met die hoop op ‘n veilige terugkeer gons dit in visvangkringe om uit te vind wat van skipper Matambu geword het. Daar is volgens vermoede nog ‘n onbekende man (of dalk meer persone) aan boord. Bekommernis bestaan oor die veiligheid vir al die persone aan boord van die boot. Dit is nie in Matambu se aard om nie betyds na Sodwanabaai terug te keer nie. Daar is Saterdag om 11:30 die laaste keer van hom gehoor.
Volgens die NSRI is Matambu by Mbazwana-polisiestasie as vermis aangemeld. ‘n Persoon het glo vals inligting verskaf om die boot te huur. Die NSRI sê die inligting is egter onbevestig. Die persoon het glo op ‘n motorfiets in Sodwanabaai aangekom.
Die NSRI sê ‘n soektog in ‘n noordelike rigting op die kuslyn het niks opgelewer nie.
“Fears are – that the ski-boat MAGNUM, that may have been seen to be heading North, past Banga Neck, and may have been pinned in the vicinity of Inhaca (unconfirmed) – may be involved in nefarious circumstances that are rapidly increasing concerns.”
Enigiemand met inligting om Matambu op te spoor, word versoek om die NSRI- operasionele sentrum by 087 094 9774 te bel.
Volgens die St. Lucia-skibootklub is die Magnum Too uitgebrand naby Dobela, soos op die foto te sien, maar Matambu en moontlike passasiers van die boot word steeds gesoek. Die noodhulpkissie van die boot is nie in die brand vernietig nie, maar dit lyk asof dit gebruik is.
Lees die sosialemediaplasing van die St. Lucia Ski Boat Club hier onder:
UPDATE ON MR JOHN MATAMBU as received 17 March 2024 11:15am:
Thanks everyone for your support so far. What we know is as follows:
- Matambu’s boat has been found near Dobela completely burnt out
- The charter was made by a shady character supposedly for his wife, daughter and himself, but he was the only one who arrived in the morning.
- The information on where he was staying in Sodwana hasn’t checked out, and he was noticed in and around Sodwana the past few days (not sure how long).
- The boat was chartered to go quite far up the coast towards Mozambique.
- Matambu was last heard from at 11:30am on the 16 March. Having reached the designated charter point, and since then there has been no further contact from him.
- A team of people have just arrived at the boat location, and are now searching the area.
- The boat was definitely beached and the medical kit has been found, used and not burnt.
- At this stage people are being asked not to visit the boat location, as they are trying to preserve potential evidence and footprints etc.
Bronne: WhatsApp boodskappe, St. Lucia Ski Boat Club, NSRI, Facebook
