“Lord, lead us to where he is, and may we find him safe and unharmed.” For Rikus Kylander’s parents, that prayer is running through their minds over and over again as they wait for news of their missing son. The 18-year-old, of Krugersdorp, Gauteng, disappeared under the water while snorkelling during a matric holiday with friends at Ponta do Ouro, a townin the extreme south of Mozambique,on Thursday. Speaking toIOL, Rikus’s distraught sister, Clarise Kylander, said he went into the water with a group of friends at about 1pm.
“They all went snorkelling together and later came out at the same place,” she said. “When they came out, they realised Rikus was not there, and they immediately contacted the police and lifeguards.” His very worried mother, Anzél, and father, Donovan, arrived in the coastal town to help search for him early on Friday morning. A missing person report was opened with Mozambique police, and search-and-rescue teams were deployed.
Rikus, who is roughly 1.8m tall, was a matric pupil at Noordheuwel High this year and had travelled to Mozambique with a large group of friends to celebrate the end of his school years. “He was last seen wearing navy blue swimming shorts,” Clarise, 24, said. “He is physically fit, with dark blonde to brown hair.”
