A British woman has been missing for over a week after hiking to a lake known to be infested with crocodiles in South Africa. Elaine McSorley, 71, and her husband Leon, 81, had left their hotel for a short walk at Mkhuze in KwaZulu-Natal province on September 27.
Leon returned to the hotel due to the intense heat, but Elaine continued exploring. When she failed to return after three hours, the alarm was raised. Signs at the Ghost Mountain Inn, where the couple were staying, warn visitors of crocodiles in the area.
Police have been searching day and night, involving locals, a police helicopter, and K9 units, but have found no trace of her. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza said: 'If she had simply collapsed and died we would have found her by now. It is like she has vanished into thin air.'
Investigators are puzzled as to why Leon checked out of the hotel soon after his wife went missing, while the search was ongoing. A local community police forum member reported that Leon suggested his wife had gone to photograph a particular hippo.
The area is considered safe for tourists, with low crime rates. Crocodiles, which can weigh up to 1,650lbs and measure 20ft, are linked to hundreds of deaths annually across Africa.
