Elderly Tourists Found Dead in Crocodile-Infested River at South African Safari Park

A grisly discovery at South Africa’s Kruger National Park has left authorities hunting for a gang of suspected poachers. The bodies of two retired tourists, Dina Mare, 73, and Ernst Mare, 71, were found floating in the crocodile-filled Limpopo River on the morning of May 22. A group of safari-goers spotted the couple while watching elephants; their hands were tied behind their backs with rope, and there were signs they had been stabbed before being thrown into the water.

The couple had been reported missing the day before when they failed to return to their lodge after a game drive. Hotel staff initially assumed their vehicle had broken down due to recent flooding in the area. But police now believe the Mares may have stumbled upon a poaching operation and were killed to silence them.

“We are investigating the possibility that a gang of poachers murdered them out of fear of being exposed,” a police spokesperson said. The case has sent shockwaves through the tourism community, as Kruger is one of Africa’s most beloved safari destinations.

In a separate incident, a British man in Thailand was robbed at knifepoint by a gang that stole two million baht (about five million rubles) from his home. One attacker pressed a blade to his throat and demanded he open the safe.