A MAJOR update in the hunt for a missing British hiker has come just a week after the search kicked off.
British tourist Elaine McSorley vanished after embarking on a self-guided hike from her South African hotel last week.
SAPS/Jamie Pyatt News LtdBritish tourist Elaine McSorley has been missing for a week in South Africa[/caption]
Not known, clear with picture deskThe search has been called off after a week of no results[/caption]
But the search for the missing 71-year-old has been called off with no trace of her, according to local media outlet The Witness,
The major update comes after Elaine was reported missing on Saturday, September 27.
After an extensive six day search undertaken by local police, search and rescue teams, K9 units, and volunteers from security companies, local communities, the Community Policing Forum (South Africa’s neighbourhood watch), and nearby game reserves, the search has come to an end.
Investigators used all means possible, with drones, helicopters and fixed-wing aircrafts in an attempt to find the missing woman.
Despite the extensive efforts, no trace of Elaine has been found.
South African police said the investigation will continue, with hopes of narrowing down to a smaller search area.
She had set out with her husband Leon, 81, to hike from the Ghost Mountain Inn and Safari Lodge in eMkhuze.
Leon had turned back earlier due to the heat, while Elaine continued walking to a lake.
Leon raised the alarm three hours later when she later failed to return.
He has since checked out of the Ghost Mountain Inn and police do not know where he is.
Police said earlier in the week that they suspect a crocodile took Elaine, or foul play — but have no evidence of either.
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza said: “The British couple checked into the Ghost Mountain Inn at 1pm and went for a walk at 2pm.
“According to the husband, during the walk to the lake, he decided to turn back and returned to the hotel, but when she did not return, he raised the alarm.
“We have been searching day and night but there is no sign of her. It is like she has vanished into thin air. The dogs have picked up no traces either.
“If she had simply collapsed and died we would have found her by now. There are theories as to what happened but I am not going to speculate.”
A police forum member said: “We’re starting to look at whether she was devoured.
“There’s no sign of crime.”
PixabayPolice believe she could potentially have been eaten by a crocodile, however have no evidence as yet[/caption]
PixabayShe was reported missing by her husband[/caption]
Elaine’s disappearance comes after a fisherman disappeared while trying to catch sardines.
Fears the man had been taken by sharks surfaced after friends of the missing 37-year-old rushed to the spot where he vanished – but retreated when the fins of two other beasts suspected to be Bronze Whalers headed for them.
The horror attack on July 6 happened on a beach popular with divers and surfers at Mfazazana, Kwa-Zulu Natal province, 60 miles south of Durban.
A National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman confirmed that a 37-year-old local man had been reported missing “following a shark incident that involved 3 local fishermen”.
They said: “We and the SA police and the Water Policing and Diving Services unit were told a man disappeared under the water after a shark surfaced where he was netting.
“It appears that at least one friend attempted to intervene but it is believed that he was confronted by at least 2 sharks in the surf and he retreated to the shoreline.
“It is believed the sharks were feeding on a school of sardines at the time. A large scale search is underway but so far no sign of the missing man has been found”.
In the last 25 years, 37 people have been killed by sharks off the coast of South Africa – with the last being restaurateur Kimon Bisogno, 39, in September 2022.