Storms River bridge body

K9 Search and Rescue teams retrieved the body of a 69-year-old man who jumped from the Storms River Bridge on Monday, 10 May. Image via: SAPS Eastern Cape

Body of man who jumped from Storms River Bridge retrieved

SAPS divers and K9 Search and Rescue teams abseiled down the 120m Storms River bridge into icy water. The body was recovered 2km downstream.

Storms River bridge body

K9 Search and Rescue teams retrieved the body of a 69-year-old man who jumped from the Storms River Bridge on Monday, 10 May. Image via: SAPS Eastern Cape

South African Police Service (SAPS) K9 Search and Rescue abseiled down the Storms River Bridge to retrieve the body of a man who jumped to his death.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the dangerous recovery mission started on Saturday, 8 May.

According to Naidu, a 69-year-old Jeffreys Bay man tragically jumped to his death from the second highest bridge in the Eastern Cape.

RESCUERS ABSEILED 120M DOWN STORMS RIVER BRIDGE

The rescue team resumed recovery efforts after inclement weather halted their efforts on Saturday, 8 May.

The Storms River Bridge in the Eastern Cape. Image via: SAPS Eastern Cape

“Due to the raging waters below, the only way down was to abseil from the bridge,” said Naidu.

SAPS divers and K9 Search and Rescue abseiled down the 120m Storms River bridge and transitioned into swift, icy water. The body was recovered around 2km downstream, however due to the torrential rain and poor communication, the body could only be retrieved on Monday.

The technical recovery mission lasted five and a half hours.

“On Monday, the team once again descended into the waning waters from a steep precipice. The combined team effort of the K9 Search and Rescue unit, SAPS divers, Humansdorp Emergency Services and SANParks ensured a well organised and safe recovery for the search teams below the gorge,” said Naidu.

SAPS divers retrieving the body of a man who jumped to his death from the Storms River Bridge. Image via: SAPS Eastern Cape

SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM INCLUDED MISTY THE DOG

The K9 Search and Rescue team included Misty, a canine that is highly trained in the use of ropes and abseiling, swift flood water rescuing as well as body recoveries from fast flowing rapids.

The Eastern Cape K9 Search and Rescue Unit comprises of seven trained members and five skilled canines.

“The expertise, skill and precision of the work of the K9 Search and Rescue including the SAPS Diving Unit was tested when the team had to abseil down the 120m abyss to retrieve a body under the Stormsriver bridge,” said Naidu.

This was not the only successful recovery operation by Warrant Officer Etienne Gerber and his dog Misty. In September 2020, Misty  rescued a one- year-old missing child in the orange groves in Hankey.

And last month, Misty recovered the body of a man buried in a shallow grave in Kwanobuhle.

READ: ‘I’m killing myself,’ says Durban woman before allegedly jumping off bridge