Tinotenda Hove – Police in Kwekwe have launched a search for a local man who disappeared after a suspected crocodile attack while attempting to cross a river more than a week ago.

Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed that Tichaona Muguti, an employee at Kingten Mine, went missing on January 26 following the incident at Mbembeswani River in Mbizo, Kwekwe.

According to Inspector Mahoko, Muguti was in the company of his workmate, Trust Ngwenya (24), from Makaure Business Centre, when the incident happened at around 6pm.

“The two were crossing the Mbembeswani River when a crocodile suddenly surfaced and attacked Muguti, who was walking ahead. He was dragged into the water and disappeared,” said Inspector Mahoko.

He added that other people who were in the vicinity were alerted but were unable to render assistance due to the sudden nature of the attack.

Muguti has not been seen since, and authorities fear he may have been killed by crocodiles in the river.

Inspector Mahoko said joint search efforts involving the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the ZRP Sub-Aqua Unit were immediately initiated, but no trace of the missing man has been found so far.