The body of a 9-year-old girl, Rudicia Gelant, was on Sunday retrieved from a canal near Carew Road in Dysselsdorp outside Oudtshoorn.
Police said Rudicia was playing with a group of other children when she slipped in the water and disappeared on Saturday.
“Investigation into the disappearance of the victim indicates that a group of children were playing in the vicinity of the canal at about 10:30 yesterday (Saturday) when the girl slipped in the water and disappeared,” police spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies said in a statement.
#sapsWC An intensive #SAPS #SearchAndRescue operation resulted in the recovery of the body of a 9-year-old girl from a canal near Carew Road, Dysselsdorp outside Oudtshoorn on Sunday, 02 May 2021 at about 19:45 after se preumably drowned. NP https://t.co/4yJURcyyJS pic.twitter.com/oTxTV1KDPX
— SA Police Service ?? (@SAPoliceService) May 3, 2021
Spies said another girl attempted to rescue Rudicia but she also slipped and fell into the water.
Bystanders noticed the incident and managed to rescue the second girl, he said.
“Police responded to the scene and immediately established a search party comprising of members attached to the Dysselsdorp police, Southern Cape Police Diving Unit, Disaster Management and Oudtshoorn Law Enforcement. The team worked around the clock until the body of the victim was retrieved,” Spies said.
An inquest docket has since been opened for further police investigation.
Picture: Unsplash