Free State divers recover eighth body in Steynsrus farm drowning incident
Free State Police are probing the circumstances surrounding the drowning of eight people, mostly children, on a farm outside Steynsrus.
STEYNSRUS FARM DROWNING INCIDENT ELICITS SHOCK
The victim, 7-year-old Karabo Kok, is believed to have drowned alongside six other children between the ages of 4 and 14-years-old and a 26-year-old man, when the Honda Ballade they were travelling in was swept into a river near Somerset east farm outside Steynsrus on Sunday morning, 7 February.
The Steynsrus community is reeling from the tragedy, with the Moqhaka Local Municipality which includes the Free State town and Kroonstad expressing their condolences to those affected.
One adult, seven children drown after car plunges into river in Free State 08 February 2021 - 07:46 By Iavan Pijoos Police divers recovered the bodies of six children and the body of the driver, but the body of the seventh child is still missing. File photo. Image: subbotina/123rf.com
One man and seven children drowned after the car in which they were travelling plunged into a river at a farm in Steynrus in Free State at the weekend, police said.
Police spokesperson Brig Motantsi Makhele said the white Honda Ballade crashed into the river at around 10.52am on Sunday.
Makhele said driver Tshokolo Hlongwane, two adult males, Mohau Mokoena and Swartbooi Hlongwane, and four boys and three girls were in the car.
âââ LUCKY NKUYANE 05:19 Mon, 08 Feb 2021 File image
Tragedy struck the town of Steynsrus in the Free State following the death of six children and an adult male after a drowning incident after flooding caused by heavy rains.
Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says six children and one adult - who was the driver of the vehicle - drowned after a car they were travelling in was swept into the river at the Somerset East farm. There were seven children between the ages of 4 to 13 years and three adults in this car.
A 7-year-old child is still missing while two adults, who were also in the car, managed to get out of the sinking vehicle and survived.