Swakop drowning victim found

The body of the man who drowned at Swakopmund on 8 June has been found.

This was confirmed by Erongo police spokesperson chief inspector Ileni Shapumba on Thursday.

Divers have been actively searching for the body of Dennis Gamaseb (37) since he jumped off the Swakopmund Jetty on that Saturday at about 15h30.

“We have a report of a body that washed out of the water at mile 11 at Henties Bay this afternoon. The body was identified by the uncles, and it is him,” said Shapumba.

Namibian Marshall Rangers’ Sean Naude was joined by the Namibian navy, friends and family members for the past two weeks patrolling the beach and sailing deep into the sea, but could not retrieve the body.

Naude says the team stopped the search on that Saturday as the water, that is 9m deep, was too dark because of the east wind.

He, however, refused to stop the search, adding that he was relieved that the search can end after twelve days.

“A woman called around 14h00 to say that her employer saw something floating. I rushed to the scene and managed to pull him out. I still believe that the body was trapped, and that is why it took so long,” he says.

Naude thanked supporters who stood by the divers.

Gamaseb was the founder of the Pentecostal International Church at Swakopmund.

His cousin, Stanley Hoebeb, says he walked out of the house where he was staying with a church sister after eating lunch on Saturday and never returned.

Hoebeb says family members later received a call from divers asking them about the whereabouts of their brother, as he was observed walking on the jetty.

“The family immediately searched for him at places where he usually goes, but could not find him. He was wearing an orange-like t-shirt. The vendor boys and car guard that were near the Jetty know him. They greeted each other, and they saw him walking on the jetty. The restaurant footage at the jetty also saw him walking on the jetty, but not returning,” he says.

Hoebeb says Gamaseb, who was residing in Khorixas, was visiting Swakopmund for about two weeks before his disappearance