dyton mupawaenda
The Rhodesia Herald, 8 January 1974
A FATHER has given up hope that his 21-year-old son may still be alive after searching the banks of the Sebakwe River on Sunday and yesterday for him.
The man’s son, Kevin Donovan Barclay Thomas, a fourth-year apprentice instrument technician at Risco, was one of a party of 15 to 20 young men and boys who were floating down the river on inflated tubes on Sunday.
He and a friend, Duncan Morrison of Que Que, were on one tube near the Sebakwe River rail bridge when the current took them over a weir and they were swept off.
Kevin was last seen thrashing and bobbing in raging waters. Duncan Morrison was swept about 100m farther downstream where he managed to grab hold of some reeds before being pulled to safety.
Kevin’s father, Mr G. Thomas, of 10 Quorn Avenue, Redcliff, said last night: “The waters of the river came up by three or four metres today and although they have gone down again I am sure that Kevin could not have lived.
“I believe we will find his body somewhere near the point where he was last seen.”
Police started a search on Sunday afternoon for Kevin and a Risco Flying Club aircraft was used. The search continued until dark yesterday.
Kevin’s father, brother, and brother-in-law, together with many of his friends, were among the searchers.
Kevin’s father, brother, and Woodhouse, said yesterday that Kevin, a strongly built man and a powerful swimmer, may still be alive. “Until they find him we have hope,” she said.
Police will be joined by volunteers from Risco in their search today and it is believed the Redcliff Lions Club will establish a field kitchen on the river banks.
Kevin, who was born in Redcliff, attended Guinea Fowl School until he joined Risco. His fiancée, Hilary Lynch of Que Que, was on the river bank when he was apparently swept to his death.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Although drowning statistics for 2022 and 2023 are yet to be published, according to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, in 2020, the country recorded 483 drowning cases, compared to 411 in 2019.
It is advisable that people do not walk, or drive in swift-flowing water. Chances are that you will drown and lose life unnecessarily.
The country is currently under a rainy season, where multiple water bodies get flooded. It is imperative that lives are not unnecessary lost as people try to swim or cross flooded rivers.
For those who risk, extreme caution is required when crossing a flooded river.
“Residents living next to rivers and streams should move to higher ground, when the water level rises. They should never try to walk, swim or drive in swift-flowing water. They should not try to drive over a low-level bridge, if water is flowing strongly across it.” (CIMAS blog)
When there is a drowning, there are coordinated search parties comprising family, relatives, friends headed by the police sub-aqua unit do not lose hope that easily. They only call off the search when they are satisfied that it will not yield any positive results.
Online Reporter