Missing Eastern Cape boy, 7, found

[caption id="attachment_222530" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Picture supplied[/caption]

A seven-year-old boy who was lost in the Mgwalana mountain range outside Peddie over the weekend was found after a joint search operation by residents and police.

According to police, a search and rescue operation was launched at about 8pm on Saturday (16/09/17) after Peddie residents attempted to locate missing Lingomso Rhobo themselves. Police spokeswoman Captain Mali Govender said that when efforts to find Rhobo had failed, the police were alerted.

“Our specialist search and rescue K9’s were brought in from Cradock and East London to search the mountainous terrain. From 4am yesterday the search and rescue team together with residents searched the entire area before finding him on the banks of a river at about 6am.”

Govender said that Rhobo went missing on Saturday morning after he and a friend went to catch rabbits.

“They call it hunting but it is really just children chasing rabbits in the mountains,” she said.

“A ward councillor alerted police to the missing child at about 8pm which is when our k9 units were mobilised and sent through to assist. By that time, residents had combed the area searching for the child but had no luck.”

Govender explained that the area was very dense with bush and mountainous.

“One of the search and rescue teams was assisted by the friend of the missing child who was with him when they went on their hunting expedition. With the young guide in their company, the team was guided to where the children lost each other. This allowed the dogs to pick up on

scent in the vicinity where the child was last seen.”

Govender said that while searching the area, screams for help were heard.

“The child was eventually located by a resident. A member of the community went into the river to the other side and collected the child. At that stage the search and rescue team had arrived at the river and assisted both Rhobo  and the resident out of the river.”

Provincial police boss Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga that she was happy the child was found to be safe.