Two British tourists have been brutally murdered in South Africa's Kruger National Park, with their bodies dumped in a crocodile-infested river. Ernst Marais, 71, and his wife Dina, 73, were visiting the popular game reserve when they are believed to have encountered poachers at an elephant crossing.
The couple failed to return to their accommodation near the Parfuri Gate on the night of Wednesday, May 20. Their bodies were discovered the following day by a group of tourists viewing elephants at Crook's Corner, a notorious area where South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet.
It is believed the victims' hands were tied behind their backs and they were repeatedly stabbed in the upper body before being dragged to the Limpopo River, which is heavily infested with crocodiles. Their 4x4 vehicle was stolen, leading police to investigate two counts of murder and one of hijacking.
A Kruger National Park source described the attack as "very brutal" and said it was unprecedented in the park's history. "We have never had an incident like this in the history of the Kruger," the source said, expressing concern about potential impact on tourism.
South African police suspect the couple may have stumbled upon a gang of poachers, who killed them to prevent them raising the alarm. A large manhunt is underway, focusing on the possibility that the suspects have already fled across the border into Mozambique.
