Authorities in South Africa have launched an investigation after the bodies of three missing police officers were discovered in a river, six days after their disappearance.
The officers—20-year-old Boipelo Senoge, Cebekhulu Linda, 24, and Keamogetswe Buys, 30—were last seen last Wednesday departing from a petrol station near Johannesburg.
Specialist divers recovered their remains approximately 70km (43 miles) away in the Hennops River, alongside the bodies of two other unidentified individuals.
Law enforcement initially described the incident as a “possible hijacking and kidnapping,” but on Tuesday officials refrained from speculating on whether the deaths were accidental at this stage.
The three constables had been travelling in a white Volkswagen Polo when they vanished, according to a police statement.
All vehicle tracking and mobile phone signals linked to the officers have been inactive since their disappearance.
A comprehensive search effort covered large parts of Gauteng, Free State and Limpopo provinces, with teams eventually finding fragments believed to belong to a Volkswagen Polo, said National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.
Additionally, a Renault Kangoo was located on the riverbank in Centurion, near where the bodies were discovered.
The officers were reportedly en route from the Free State to Limpopo at the time of their disappearance.
Underwater teams recovered five bodies from the river between Monday and Tuesday, authorities confirmed.
Among the deceased was a police administrative clerk, whose name has not been released, and had reportedly been driving the Renault van, according to Gen Masemola.
A fifth body, in a state of decomposition, has yet to be identified.
The white Volkswagen Polo in which the officers last travelled has not yet been recovered.
The case has drawn significant public attention within South Africa, with social media users sharing prayers and messages of support for the missing officers and their families.
Following the discovery of the bodies, grief-stricken relatives and community members gathered at the riverbank to hold a candlelight vigil.
Speaking on Tuesday, Gen Masemola stated: “We do not want to speculate at this stage about the circumstances leading to the discovery of the bodies. Whether it was accidental or not, our ongoing investigation will provide answers once the missing vehicle is found.”
This represents a shift from the commissioner’s comments on Sunday: “We cannot allow criminals to undermine state authority by kidnapping three police officers. This is a warning to those responsible—surrender, or we will find you.”
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