The skipper of the boat from which 17-year-old Thomas Sithole went missing in the Vaal River issued a press statement late yesterday. Sithole is believed to have drowned.
The statement, released through his attorney, was issued in response to what were described as false and inaccurate allegations circulating on social media. The skipper’s identity is known to Vaalweekblad.
It conveyed condolences to Sithole’s family and friends on behalf of the skipper, his family and the law firm, noting their shared ties to the Vaal Triangle community.
According to the statement, Thomas was with a group of friends and the skipper on Friday. They boarded the boat at around 13:00 for a leisure outing.
It was stated that all required safety protocols for inland watercraft were followed and that the skipper was licensed, qualified and experienced.
At approximately 16:30, the group arrived at a well-known restaurant along the Vaal River, where Thomas and the other passengers disembarked to buy food. The skipper remained on the boat. A jet-ski, operated by another skipper and carrying a passenger, accompanied the craft.
At about 17:35, the passengers, including Thomas, returned. Two people then left on the jet-ski, while the remaining passengers boarded the boat, which departed for the original launch site so both craft could be removed from the water.
While en route, a female passenger requested to change places with one of the jet-ski passengers. Both craft stopped to allow the exchange.
Shortly after, a passenger informed the skipper that Thomas was no longer on board. A headcount was immediately conducted, confirming that he was missing.
None of the passengers saw Thomas disembark, and he was last seen seated at the back of the 6.4m (21-foot) boat.
An immediate search was conducted in the area where the exchange took place, as well as along the shoreline. After confirming Thomas was not on shore, the skipper contacted the SAPS water wing within 25 minutes of realising he was no longer on the boat.
The incident was formally reported at the Vanderbijlpark SAPS. According to the statement, while police were interviewing the skipper, the mother of one of the passengers attempted to contact Thomas’s parents, who were only reached later that evening.
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