The 35-year-old Heidi Scheepers with her husband Ettienne. Photo: Facebook
Heidi Scheepers: Car spotted in sea, search for missing family continues
Police revealed that parts of the vehicle they could see in the sea resembled Scheepers’ car.
The 35-year-old Heidi Scheepers with her husband Ettienne. Photo: Facebook
On Tuesday, 22 October 2019, a mother and her two young children went missing at around 18:00 after a trip to the beach at Herolds Bay, near George in the Western Cape.
A search has since been underway to find Heidi Scheepers, 35, and her two children; a daughter six and a son who is two-years-old. The family was last seen at the beach, but they never returned home as expected.
Heidi Scheepers and kids go missing at Herolds Bay
Scheepers’ husband, Ettienne, 36, had gone with them to the beach but left on foot to check on some of his businesses. The Scheepers own the Herolds Bay Cafe and run the Garden Route Property Management group that manages several holiday homes in the area.
When the missing woman disappeared she was driving a charcoal VW Caravelle TDI minibus with the registration CAW66036. The Pink Ladies organization circulated a flyer on social media in the hopes to find the Scheepers family safe and sound.
According to EWN, Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said at the time:
“She never reported back home and her husband reported it to the police. A search party was launched.”
Captain Malcolm Pojie, Southern Cape Police spokesperson
Possible car parts spotted at the bottom of a cliff
The search for the missing family is hampered by weather and sea conditions. Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie says they're trying to recover a vehicle at the bottom of the cliff resembling the one driven Scheepers
— Sphiwe Hobasi (@MrCow_man) October 24, 2019
? @Snazo_Gulwa#sabcnews pic.twitter.com/g07gNNbUbT
A breakthrough was made on Wednesday afternoon after parts of a car were found at the bottom of a cliff. The vehicle was believed to belong to the missing family.
The police in the Eastern and Western Cape were initially placed on alert after they feared that the family had been abducted. The car parts were found near the dangerous fishing and picnic spot Voëlklip, which is on the outskirts of the town.
Police, rescue workers, and residents joined the search. A rescue helicopter was deployed and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) arrived to help after someone saw parts of what appeared to be the missing VW’s door at the bottom of a steep cliff.
Pojie revealed how police divers withdrew from the sea shortly after going in because of the harsh weather conditions. The captain added: “[The] NSRI launched a boat to have a look while the helicopter hovered above.”
Pojie shared:
“At this stage, the only thing we can say is that parts of a vehicle [that appear to be] the same colour as the missing Caravelle were found at the bottom of the cliff.”
Captain Malcolm Pojie, Southern Cape Police spokesperson
Heidi Scheepers search continued on Thursday
The vehicle is covered by water making it difficult for a tow truck to pull it up. Once it's pulled out of the water rescuers will look for any sign of life or bodies inside.
— Sphiwe Hobasi (@MrCow_man) October 24, 2019
? @Snazo_Gulwa#sabcnews pic.twitter.com/HL0WlfwdMR
The search continued on Thursday morning, but the weather and sea conditions still posed a challenge for the search party. The vehicle was covered by water which made it difficult for a tow truck to pull it up.
When police eventually pull the car out, they will check inside to see if there are any bodies.
