SWAKOPMUND: The body of the fourth victim of the ‘Dan Jose’ tragedy, was found wash up early Friday afternoon, close to where the vessel capsized along the Namibian coastline.
Acting regional crime investigating coordinator of the Namibian Police Force (NamPol), Inspector George Xoagub, informed NAMPA on Saturday that the body given back by the ocean was disfigured.
Xoagub who informed Nampa on Monday that the body of the third crewman, was found partly eaten by sea creatures, indicated that the fourth body was completely eaten by sea creatures.
“We cannot definitely confirm the body washed up as one of the crew members, but we suspect that it is one of the bodies, as a result of the body being found at the same place where the skipper was found the day the vessel capsized,” he said.
The fishing vessel (Dan Jose) with seven crew members capsized on 26 July 2012 about one kilometre off-shore at Mile 7 en route to Henties Bay.
One survivor, David Alweendo, managed to swim to shore and call for help. He told NamPol that water flowed into the back of the boat and the strong windy conditions caused it to capsize.
With the latest body found, the number of bodies thus far recovered amounts to four, including that of Dan Jose skipper, Daniel Klopper, 47 and fellow crew men, Thomas Haikongo and Ervast Tshavuka Andreas.
When asked if he believes that more bodies will be found, Xoagub stated that it is not impossible for the rest of the bodies to be washed out given that the fourth body was found.