KOMATIPOORT – DNA results confirm that it was the remains of hotel owner Gabriel Batista (59) who was found in the crocodile in Komatipoort.

Col. Jabu Ndubane, police spokesperson for Mpumalanga confirmed this on Monday.

The discovery of human remains inside a crocodile follows an extensive search operation in the Komati River in Komatipoort for a Batista, who is believed to have been swept away by floodwaters.

The search for Batista commenced on Monday 27 April when his Ford Ranger became stuck on the flooded Komatipoort low-water bridge near the town’s golf club. It is suspected that he was swept away by the floodwater after climbing out of his bakkie and attempting to cross the bridge to the Border Country Inn. Batista owned the Border Country Inn and lived in Gauteng.

A dramatic week-long search followed, involving drones and helicopters.

Securing reptile from crocodile-invested river

On Saturday 2 May during the search, officials identified a group of crocodiles on a small island in the river and singled out one on the riverbank that appeared to have recently fed. This specific crocodile had a noticeably distended stomach, did not move around, and made no attempt to slip into the river despite the noise of the drones and helicopter.

With the search team comprising members of the Search and Rescue Unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS), National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoint), South African National Parks (SANParks), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Securecon, and Port Management Committee, permission was granted to euthanise the crocodile.

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After it was shot, police Captain Johan “Pottie” Potgieter descended from a SANParks helicopter into the crocodile-infested river to secure the reptile. The crocodile was lying on an island where there was no other way to reach it except from the air. The presence of other crocodiles, hippos and rocks in the river made it too dangerous to use a boat or canoe to recover the crocodile.

After securing it using a harness, the crocodile, which was 4.5 metres in length and weighed approximately 500 kilograms, was hoisted from the river and relocated for forensic examination. A field necropsy was performed on the crocodile.