Crocodile found with Crocs in its stomach may be linked to multiple deaths
SAPS says a crocodile believed to have eaten a missing man was euthanised in the Komati River after being tracked for days, with human remains later recovered during a post-mortem examination.
Image: SAPS
The crocodile linked to a businessman’s death—found with several pairs of Crocs and flip-flops in its stomach—may also be tied to other fatalities, as investigators explore the possibility of multiple victims.
Police reported that the animal was discovered with various items, including footwear, in the Komati River near Komatipoort.
IOL previously reported that human remains were discovered inside the crocodile in the Komati River near Komatipoort on Saturday, where police believe they may belong to a missing 59-year-old businessman.
The man had been reported missing after his vehicle was found trapped at a low-lying bridge, prompting a week-long multi-agency search.
Speaking to SABC on the sidelines, SAPS Captain Johan Potgieter said the crocodile had been tracked over several days, with emergency medical services (EMS) first spotting it from a helicopter in the same area for four consecutive days.
“So with our experience and with the training we’ve had, we identified a crocodile there that we were basically 100% sure had eaten the man that we are looking for,” Potgieter said.
He said drone operations later confirmed the animal remained in the same location, after which the team made arrangements to euthanise it.
“We then started to put in arrangements to euthanise it, which we managed to do,” he said.
Potgieter said SANParks assisted with a helicopter, which airlifted him to the river scene.
He explained that he entered the water to secure a sling around the crocodile so it could be lifted out.
“They managed to sling it, we managed to bring it up,” he said.
A post-mortem was then conducted on the animal, during which human remains were recovered.
“We then did a post-mortem on the crocodile in which we then recovered the human remains that we put in the bag,” Potgieter said, adding that while police were “quite certain” of the identity, DNA testing would confirm it.
The crocodile’s stomach also contained multiple items, including “about six sets of different Crocs and flip-flop shoes,” he said.
Potgieter said that while human tissue digests, plastic items such as footwear do not, which is why the shoes remained inside the crocodile.
He said he could not determine when the items had been consumed, but added that it indicated crocodiles in the area were highly active and would eat anything that passed through.
“I can’t say why those were there or why he ate them, but it shows that these crocodiles are very active in this area,” Potgieter added.
He explained that plastic items such as shoes do not digest, which is why they remained inside the crocodile’s stomach, noting that it was possible they had belonged to previous victims.