South Africa has called off search for Robert Frauenstein who is believed to have been killed by a Great White shark.
According to local reports, the 38-year-old went missing while bodyboarding along the Chinsta coastline in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday, 13 April.
His bodyboard was found washed up on the beach with bite marks confirmed to be from a large Great White shark.
Police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni confirmed that the search ended on Wednesday, 21 April.
“Today was the last day, the search is now over.”
On a Facebook post, Kerry Hiles the sister of Frauenstein’s fiancé, wrote that officials had notified the family that the search was over.
“Based on conditions and animal activity on the day and throughout the week, they do not believe anything will be found. We are so very, very touched by and grateful for every single effort and hour spent on the search for Robert by official folk, but especially by volunteers/friends/family/perfect strangers. The size of hearts in this awful incident has brought so much light to an otherwise very dark experience. If you do only one thing today, may it be to hold your special person/ people really tight.”
On a earlier Facebook post she wrote that a shark was reportedly spotted earlier in the week before Fraunstein went missing.
“The teeth marks in his bodyboard are confirmed as that of a very large Great White shark, possibly the same shark spotted from the air earlier in the week.”
Hiles further wrote on Facebook that the family took comfort knowing Frauenstein was doing what he loved.
“We take comfort in the fact that Robert was doing what he loved and that his untimely demise would have been as swift, painless and without struggle as anyone could hope for. I ask that you keep Rob’s mother, Stephanie, and brother, Ed, in your thoughts, and especially my sister to whom Robert would have been wed next month. We acknowledge that the rescue mission has now become a recovery exercise and thank you in advance for your understanding as we move into a space of grieving.”
