The disappearance of a Madeiran man in South Africa in a river, known for the presence of a high number of crocodiles, is generating consternation among his family.
A relative of Gabriel Batista, a Madeiran businessman from Serra de Água, told JM by phone today that he has been going through hell and sorrow since Batista’s disappearance in South Africa, where he had lived since 1975 after moving there with his parents when the family left Mozambique.
While talking to JM, a family member revealed that Gabriel Batista, 59, was going at night to the hotel he owned in Komatipoort, in the South African province of Mpumalanga, when he was surprised by the violence of the waters that reached that region.
According to the same source, the businessman tried to cross a pontoon submerged by the waters of the Komati River when the truck he was following ended up being dragged by the strong current to one of the most dangerous parts of that river, known for its crocodiles.
The search operations took place for about a week, with the authorities finally locating a large crocodile, weighing about 600 kilograms, motionless on a small river islet and with an unusually distended abdomen, a situation that aroused immediate suspicion among the teams on the ground.
Faced with this scenario, the South African police moved on to a high-risk operation. After being allowed to shoot the animal, Johan Potgieter, Captain of the South African Police Services (SAPS), was suspended by a harness from a helicopter over crocodile-infested waters, in a delicate maneuver aimed at the possible recovery of human remains still present inside the crocodile.
The animal was eventually transported to the Kruger National Park, where it was opened by the authorities. Inside the crocodile was found a finger with a ring allegedly belonging to the Madeiran businessman, reinforcing the suspicion that Gabriel Batista was killed by the animal. The authorities are now carrying out DNA tests to determine if the remains found are indeed those of the Madeiran.
During the analysis of the animal’s interior, the authorities also discovered six pairs of shoes, including slippers, sneakers, sandals and a pair of high heels, which did not belong to the Madeiran. The researchers believe that the objects would have remained in the animal’s body for long periods, since crocodiles cannot digest materials such as plastic, rubber and other synthetic components.
South African police are now investigating a possible link between this discovery and other cases of disappearances that have occurred in that region. It should be recalled that, in December 2025, two South African soldiers also disappeared at the same place on the river.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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