Soldier Missing After Crocodile Attack In Flooded Munyati River
A Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officer is feared dead after being dragged into the deep waters of the Munyati River by a crocodile on December 30, 2024.
Sergeant Invin’ca Gamunya, 34, was helping three women cross the flooded river when he was attacked by the crocodile.
He had successfully helped the women to the other side and was swimming back when the incident occurred.
The incident happened in the Saltana Ranch area near Kwekwe. Gamunya was deployed at the Kavinga military base and was attached to the 53 Infantry Battalion in Battlefields.
A search operation involving police divers, the army, and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) is ongoing, but Gamunya’s body has not yet been recovered.
According to a memo from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) seen by ZimLive, the women initially asked another officer, Sergeant Innocent Chikuturudzi, for help, but he declined.
Gamunya, who overheard the conversation, offered to assist the women without seeking approval from his superiors.
When Chikuturudzi realised Gamunya was gone, he sent Private Emmanuel Usaiwevhu to summon him back to base, but it was too late. Reads the memo:
When Usaiwevhu got to the river, he saw Gamunya on the other side of the river with the women already gone. He signalled him to return to the base.
Gamunya got into the river intending to cross and when he was about seven meters in the water he screamed for help.
Usaiwevhu quickly noticed that he was being whisked away into the deep waters by a crocodile. He tried to assist by throwing stones in a bid to scare away the reptile but all was in vain.
Usaiwevhu reported to the police that the crocodile dragged Gamunya for approximately 50 meters before submerging.
Police divers have been searching the river for both Gamunya’s body and the crocodile, but their efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
More: Pindula News
