By Emmanuel Sobilika
The body believed to be that of a missing tourist on Mulanje Mountain has been found this morning, Malawi Digest has learnt.
A Brazilian and French passport holder Gabriel Bushman, 23 went missing on the mountain on 16th July, 2009.
Mulanje Police Station Public Relations Officer Ralph Makondetsa has confirmed to Malawi Digest a short while ago that indeed a body has been found.
“Three locals from the bottom of Mulanje Mountain went up looking for plants that are used as brooms. In the process they came across the dead body of this unidentified white man,” said the Police spokesperson.
He said then the trio came down the mountain to report to Police authorities who have sent a rescue team accompanied by doctors to collect the dead body.
Makondetsa could not confirm the identity of the body found until after Police conduct a post-mortem and identification process.
“We expect our officers who have gone up to collect the body to return either this evening or Thursday morning,” he said.
According to Makondetsa, if the body is that of hiker Gabriel Bushman, the identification process may not take long as his family members are still in Malawi where they had been waiting for the news about their missing relation.
Information gathered by Malawi Digest indicates that Bushman took a guide to Mulanje Mountain on Thursday 16th July.
However, upon reaching Chambe hut, he decided to send back the porter and proceed alone to what many people suspected to have been the highest point on the mountain, the Sapitwa peak.
This is the second time for a tourist to get missing on Malawi’s highest mountain in six years.
A Dutch national Linda Pronk got missing on the same mountain and her body has never been found.
Sapitwa peak on Mulanje Mountain is 3,002m above the sea level and the area is said to be very rocky with steep slopes and very difficult to climb in bad weather – Malawi Digest.
The body believed to be that of a missing tourist on Mulanje Mountain has been found this morning, Malawi Digest has learnt.
A Brazilian and French passport holder Gabriel Bushman, 23 went missing on the mountain on 16th July, 2009.
Mulanje Police Station Public Relations Officer Ralph Makondetsa has confirmed to Malawi Digest a short while ago that indeed a body has been found.
“Three locals from the bottom of Mulanje Mountain went up looking for plants that are used as brooms. In the process they came across the dead body of this unidentified white man,” said the Police spokesperson.
He said then the trio came down the mountain to report to Police authorities who have sent a rescue team accompanied by doctors to collect the dead body.
Makondetsa could not confirm the identity of the body found until after Police conduct a post-mortem and identification process.
“We expect our officers who have gone up to collect the body to return either this evening or Thursday morning,” he said.
According to Makondetsa, if the body is that of hiker Gabriel Bushman, the identification process may not take long as his family members are still in Malawi where they had been waiting for the news about their missing relation.
Information gathered by Malawi Digest indicates that Bushman took a guide to Mulanje Mountain on Thursday 16th July.
However, upon reaching Chambe hut, he decided to send back the porter and proceed alone to what many people suspected to have been the highest point on the mountain, the Sapitwa peak.
This is the second time for a tourist to get missing on Malawi’s highest mountain in six years.
A Dutch national Linda Pronk got missing on the same mountain and her body has never been found.
Sapitwa peak on Mulanje Mountain is 3,002m above the sea level and the area is said to be very rocky with steep slopes and very difficult to climb in bad weather – Malawi Digest.
If confirmed by Police, sad. RIP.
ReplyDeleteIzi ndiye nkhani Malawi Digest osakhala kumatiuza za malichese a George Partridge.
ReplyDeleteRest in Peace Bushman!
Kunena zoona, Malawi Digest, nkhani ya CEO ovula azimayi ku National Bank yu mwatchuka nayo. Keep on exposing them.
ReplyDeleteUyu mzungu amafuna kusewera ndi mizimu ya Mulhako wa Alhomwe lero ndi izi watisiya.
Nawonso azunguwa chidwi, ndionesetse anaphetsa...
Mzimu wake uwutse mu mtendere.
Imfa siisankha. Aliyense could have died on Mulanje Mountain. I remember when we went on education trip whilst in college, tinazizidwa kwambiri pa Chambe Hut akunenapa nanga bwanji pa Sapitwa. We could have also died. I am not surprised.
ReplyDeleteRIP.
Imfa si ya masewera makamaka akakhala tourist oti amabweretsa ndalama ku Malawi, it's a big concern.
ReplyDeleteRest In Peace.
A Digest tiuzeni program ya maliro mwina tingapereke nawo.
ReplyDeleteMzimu wawo a Bushmana uwutse mu mtendere.
Is there no possibility of foul play? He may have been killed for his money/items. Such things happen more frequently. I remember a case of German lady visitor who was killed for her bike in Mangochi some years back. Police should thoroughly investige this death. It has a potential for denting the image of Malawi and its fragile Tourism industry.
ReplyDeleteits long overdue,Government please try to put strict measures
ReplyDeleteAbushiwo akatoyesa kuti ku sapitwa ndi kwamasewra.even my agogo worned me never shall i atempt to step on sapitwa which means malo osapitidwa. RIP
ReplyDeleteA butch man rest in peace cauz imfa sithawika and wakufa lero siwokufa m'mawa.micro-tinnox
ReplyDeleteOnce again rest in peace & i dedicated my Hip-Hop track to you entitled HISTORY EXCAVATION,Gabriel butch i willnever 4get.Micro-tinnox ( MARTIN KATUNGWE) 2010
ReplyDelete