‘We remain hopeful’: Parents scour Mozambique for son missing at sea
Rikus Kylander, 18
Image: SUPPLIED
When Rikus Kylander disappeared snorkelling with friends in Mozambique a week before Christmas, his parents dropped everything, jumped in their car, and drove all the way from Krugersdorp, Gauteng, to search for him.
And now, just about three weeks later, they are still there, about 700km from home, searching desperately for their 18-year-old son.
Rikus vanished without a trace when he took to the water with a group of about 12 friends at Ponta Da Oura, along the neighbouring country’s tropical coastline.
The friends had travelled to Mozambique to celebrate the end of matric, but the rest of the group returned without him.
“Their focus right now is trying to locate Rikus,” Renegades Search & Rescue spokesperson Dawn Gounden told IOL.
“They have been in Mozambique since he went missing ... it has really not been easy for them.
"When they heard what had happened, they got in their car and travelled to Ponta Da Oura with Rikus’ sister, Clarise.
"They are still there and remain hopeful."
Gounden said aerial, sea, and surface searches were still under way, covering Ponta Da Oura, Sodwana Bay, and Kosi Bay.
"Aerial searches were conducted from Black Rock to the South African border by pilot Pierre Conradie, along with additional aerial searches from Ponto do Ouro to Santa Maria and inland areas, conducted via a privately rented airplane."
Sea-based search operations are continuing, with divers remaining on high alert despite difficult conditions.
Members of the Turtle Patrol are also providing daily support, helping to enhance visibility and awareness along the Kosi Bay coastline.
She said the family was hellbent on finding Rikus, who had been a matric pupil at Noordheuwel High last year.
"That is all they want."
Speaking to IOL previously, a heartbroken Clarise said since the news broke, their parents have been praying non-stop.
“They are praying Rikus is safe, that he can hear the Lord’s voice, that his eyes will open, and he will look for us.
"They are also praying that the Lord will guide us to where he is and that we find him safe and unharmed.”
Clarise recently shared a heartbreaking video on social media showing only a photo of her younger brother, set to the Hillsong song Oceans.
The Facebook reel received more than 500 shares.
Meanwhile, more than R221,000 has already been raised on a BackaBuddy page to support the search efforts.
“The family is going through an unimaginably tough time having to navigate trying to find their son,” the page said.
“They travelled to Mozambique and have to pay for expenses to try and get additional support to find Rikus.
"If you could find it in your heart to contribute towards any of the rescue operations, I know the family would appreciate it.”
The beach where Rikus disappeared is a stark, windswept stretch of coastline known for its natural beauty and hazardous conditions.
Broad expanses of pale sand meet cold, steel-grey waters, while strong swells and unpredictable rip currents make the sea deceptively dangerous, even on seemingly calm days.
IOL News