‘n Persoon van Komatipoort wat glo saam met John Matambu, die visserman wat verlede Saterdag vermis geraak het, ter see was en ook die boot gehuur het, is volgens die St. Lucia Ski Boat Club se Facebook-blad sedert gister in Maputo in aanhouding (saaknommer 074-10-5/24).

Matambu was tydens sy verdwyning die skipper van die uitgebrande Magnum Too, wat soos voorheen berig, naby Dobela opgespoor is, maar sonder ‘n spoor van Matambu. Hy is by die Mbazwana-polisiestasie as vermis aangemeld (saaknommer 01/03/2024).

Daar is sedert die bekende visserman se verdwyning onverpoos na ‘n persoon van belang gesoek. Ferdie Visser, van Komatipoort, is as die huurder wat die betrokke dag op die boot saam met Matambu was, geïdentifiseer en sy spoor is tot in Mosambiek gevolg waar pamflette met sy foto en inligting gesirkuleer is. Daar is vasgestel waar hy oornag het en watter items hy na bewering aan inwoners verkoop het.

Kol. Nqobile Gwala het voorheen aan Nuusflits gesê die saak word as ‘n vermistepersoonsaak hanteer, aangesien dit nog onbekend is wat met Matambu gebeur het. Nuusflits het polisiekommentaar gevra.

St. Lucia Ski Boat Club het onlangs ‘n bywerking op sosiale media gemaak, lees ‘n gedeelte hier onder:

We have a far clearer picture of what happened, and a person of interest.

What we know is as follows:

• the person of interest and Matambu made it to Island Rock as per the charter

• ⁠Matambu messaged to say he was returning soon

• ⁠Not verified yet, but it looks like the boat then went 10kms out to sea where Matambu’s cellphone was discarded.

• ⁠the boat then traveled at high speed and was spotted by various lodges along the coast until its final beaching near Dobela

• ⁠The person of interest, torched the boat.

• ⁠We had a sighting of him making his way down to Ponta Mamoli, and have confirmation that he spent a night in one of the huts in the local village

• ⁠He arrived at 7pm at night. He said he was in a quad bike accident and he sold 2 fishing rods to the local village.

• ⁠He had two bags that he was traveling with, that he kept on him at all times.

• ⁠The next morning the village fed him and he caught a taxi through Zitundo to Maputo, where he arrived at 3:30pm Sunday afternoon.

• ⁠The taxi driver has been interviewed and confirmed that the person of interest was in the car and even took money from the taxi driver to carry on his travels.

• ⁠Last known location is Junta- Maputo at Sunday at 15:30

• ⁠Please see the attached photo of the person of interest, who may be dangerous.

Again on behalf of the entire family, the messages, support and effort that Matambu’s friends have gone to and the communities of Sodwana Bay and Mozambique have been extraordinary.

From those of you taking calls in the middle of the night to chase down active leads, to the effort of every potential tip that came through. It’s helped tremendously to get us to where we are.

Nuusflits het voorheen soos volg berig:

John Matambu het nadat hy Saterdagoggend vermoedelik van Sodwanabaai aan die Noordkus naby die grens van Mosambiek met die boot Magnum Too vertrek het, vermis geraak. Die uitgebrande Magnum Too is intussen gevind.

Met die hoop op ‘n veilige terugkeer gons dit in visvangkringe om uit te vind wat van skipper Matambu geword het. Daar is volgens vermoede nog ‘n onbekende man (of dalk meer persone) aan boord. Bekommernis bestaan oor die veiligheid vir al die persone aan boord van die boot. Dit is nie in Matambu se aard om nie betyds na Sodwanabaai terug te keer nie. Daar is Saterdag om 11:30 die laaste keer van hom gehoor.

Volgens die NSRI is Matambu by Mbazwana-polisiestasie as vermis aangemeld. ‘n Persoon het glo vals inligting verskaf om die boot te huur. Die NSRI sê die inligting is egter onbevestig. Die persoon het glo op ‘n motorfiets in Sodwanabaai aangekom.

Die NSRI sê ‘n soektog in ‘n noordelike rigting op die kuslyn het niks opgelewer nie.

“Fears are – that the ski-boat MAGNUM, that may have been seen to be heading North, past Banga Neck, and may have been pinned in the vicinity of Inhaca (unconfirmed) – may be involved in nefarious circumstances that are rapidly increasing concerns.”

Enigiemand met inligting om Matambu op te spoor, word versoek om die NSRI- operasionele sentrum by 087 094 9774 te bel.

Volgens die St. Lucia-skibootklub is die Magnum Too uitgebrand gevind naby Dobela, soos op die foto te sien, maar Matambu en moontlike passasiers van die boot word steeds gesoek. Die noodhulpkissie van die boot is nie in die brand vernietig nie, maar dit lyk asof dit gebruik is.

Bron: St. Lucia Ski Boat Club