{"id":305142,"date":"2025-10-17T13:03:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T11:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/bloemfontein-police-in-frantic-search-for-body-after-drowning-in-quarry\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:42:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T14:42:04","slug":"bloemfontein-police-in-frantic-search-for-body-after-drowning-in-quarry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/bloemfontein-police-in-frantic-search-for-body-after-drowning-in-quarry\/","title":{"rendered":"Bloemfontein police in frantic search for body after drowning in quarry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>BLOEMFONTEIN \u2013<\/strong> The Bloemfontein police are frantically searching for the body of a 20-year-old man\u00a0who drowned\u00a0in a quarry located in Heidedal. The incident reportedly occurred\u00a0midday\u00a0yesterday \u2013 Thursday, 16 October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Police members of the Welkom Diving unit are on the scene, continuing with the search for the body of the man, whose identity is yet to be revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sgt. Mahlomola Kareli, provincial spokesperson for the Free State police, says the search began yesterday, after the incident was reported at the\u00a0Heidedal Police Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;An intensive search commenced around the area where the victim was last seen, but had to be called off late in the evening due to poor light conditions. The search resumed today, Friday, 17 October,&#8221; says Kareli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"268869\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/neil-sandilands-en-kie-vier-halfeeu-met-musiek\/2025-07-09-dsc_0249_58378\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2025-07-09-DSC_0249_58378.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,800\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2025-07-09-DSC_0249_58378\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Die Vyftigers is van links Schalk Joubert, Neil Sandilands, Abel Kraamsaal en Gian Groen.  Foto: Verskaf&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Die Vyftigers is van links Schalk Joubert, Neil Sandilands, Abel Kraamsaal en Gian Groen.  Foto: Verskaf&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2025-07-09-DSC_0249_58378-1024x683.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/bloemnewsexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Heidedal-quarry.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-268869\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Community members, as well as members of the police, at the quarry where the 20-year-old man drowned. Photo: Supplied<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He says police divers, working in close collaboration with the private sector and emergency services, are using all available resources in a concerted effort to locate and recover the body of the deceased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Welkom Diving unit was also brought in yesterday to assist with the operation. Divers worked until approximately midday, at which point it was determined that the body may have been carried by currents or rolled to a deeper section of the quarry, estimated to be about 50 m down.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kareli says according to information received,\u00a0the victim and two companions went to the quarry to swim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The 20-year-old reportedly jumped into the water; he was quickly overwhelmed and tragically drowned,&#8221; says Kareli.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to information received,\u00a0the drowning victim and two companions went to the quarry to 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