Missing hunter might have been eaten by Zim crocodiles

Polokwane - Teams searching in Zimbabwe for missing SA hunter Scott van Zyl, 44, have found what is possibly human remains in two crocodiles they shot.  

According to News24, ex-Colonel Sakkie Louwrens of the Heritage Protection Group (HPG), who is among those trying to find Van Zyl, said on Thursday that they had seen two crocodiles near the banks of the Limpopo River where Van Zyl went missing last Friday, Netwerk24 reported.

He said that in conjunction with Zimbabwe's police and nature conservation services, a decision had been taken to shoot the crocodiles.  

"We found what could possibly be human remains in them."

The remains will be sent for DNA testing to see if it's Van Zyl's. "Until we have the results, we can confirm nothing."

Meanwhile, his family are still hoping and praying that he is alive.

Pamphlets with a photo of Van Zyl and contact numbers were dropped from choppers in Zimbabwe on Wednesday and Thursday near the vast and bushy area where Van Zyl went missing.

Those searching on land even gave some to people fishing along the banks of the Limpopo.

A reward of $5 000 has been offered for information that can help the search teams track down Van Zyl.

HPG, the SA Hunters' Association, and the SANDF have joined forces in trying to find Van Zyl.

Police divers even took to the water of the Limpopo River, but to no avail.

According to information from people searching on foot, it seemed as if Van Zyl, the owner of SS Pro Safaris, had gone hunting with a tracker and his dogs in Zimbabwe on Friday, using the Chikwaraka camp as his base. It seems, they say, as if he and the tracker left their bakkie behind and went into the veld on foot. Van Zyl's gun and personal items were in the bakkie. The men apparently went in separate directions.

Van Zyl's dogs returned to the camp later in the day, but there was no sign of him. The unnamed tracker raised the alarm, informing authorities that Van Zyl was missing.

Helicopter search teams spotted Van Zyl's backpack on the banks of the Limpopo River, where his tracks ended.