Gqeberha: A newly acquired helicopter of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has played a crucial role in locating two bodies in the Swartkops River in Gqeberha. The discovery was made by the crew of the Airbus H125 helicopter, which is stationed at the Air Wing in Gqeberha, as they were acquainting themselves with the new aircraft. The helicopter was called to provide aerial support in an ongoing search and recovery operation on Monday.
According to South African Government News Agency, the search operation was initiated to locate a 17-year-old boy who had gone missing on Friday. The boy, identified as Curtis Samson, disappeared while swimming with friends in the Swartkops River. The incident reportedly occurred around 10 a.m. on October 10, 2025, when Samson got into trouble and vanished under the water.
The SAPS Search and Rescue team from the K9 Unit, along with other stakeholders, was activated to assist in the search operation. The effort to find Samson continued throughout the weekend, with scheduled pauses at sunset. Shortly after the activation of the helicopter, the crew spotted two bodies floating in separate locations in the river. One of the bodies was identified as Curtis Samson, while the second body, an African male, has yet to be identified. Police divers successfully retrieved both bodies from the river.