These were the words of Helene Ostbo at the weekend as the search continued for her sister‚ Marie‚ who went missing while on holiday with a group of students in Sedgefield on the southern Cape coast.
The search for the missing 21-year-old Norwegian entered its fifth day on Monday.
My dear sister. We will never give up on you. We are strong in our faith and belief. We keep you always in our thoughts and mind. We pray for having you back home‚ safe and sound‚ said Helene in a Facebook post.
Marie arrived on holiday with a group of international students in the coastal Garden Route town on April 18.
She was last seen on the beach‚ about 100 metres away from a backpacker lodge where they were staying that evening.
Despite an extensive search‚ so far only a cellphone‚ a hat and shoes belonging to Marie have been found.
Southern Cape Police spokesperson Captain Malcom Pojie said on Monday that the search was continuing both on land and at sea.
He said police divers and a helicopter had been involved in the search.
We have the CCTV footage in our possession for analysis. This is the last known sighting of her on the beach.
The search is still underway. We have added an air search by means of a helicopter. At this stage we don’t have any additional positive leads that help us in locating her‚ he said.
Townsfolk in Sedgefield have reached out to her anxious family in Norway‚ and offered to keep looking for Marie.
Suzie Bruwer replied to the Facebook post‚ saying: Helene. I stay in the Sedgefield area - Knysna. South Africa. We are praying for Marie … all over South Africa.
Yolandi Aggenbach said‚ Helene I'm also staying right on the beach just a few metres from where your sister went missing. We are praying and keeping an open eye everywhere we go, keep the faith‚ much love to your family.
Dear Helene‚ my heart goes out to you and your family. We pray that they will find your sister. I have a holiday home about 50 metres from where she went missing. Everybody is looking and searching for any sign of Marie‚ said Liza Gautschi.
Marie’s father‚ Atle Ostbo‚ earlier told Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet: We have not given up hope.
He said the group of students had gone for a walk in the early evening but returned to the lodge when the weather turned bad. Marie‚ however‚ stayed on the beach.
The group only realised about 30 minutes later when they wanted to have dinner that she was not inside yet and raised the alarm.
He posted a photograph of them together on Facebook.
Marie was taking a break from her studies in political science in Toulouse‚ France.
A search operation is continuing for a Norwegian tourist who disappeared on Wednesday while taking a walk on the beach at Sedgefield on the southern Cape coast.
According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) at Wilderness‚ despite an extensive search‚ so far only a cellphone‚ a hat and shoes belonging to the woman‚ 21-year-old Marie Ostbo‚ have been found.
They were discovered on the beach by police in the early hours of Thursday.
The SA Police Services‚ Community Police‚ a police K-9 search and rescue unit‚ a police dive unit‚ Western Cape Government Health EMS‚ Wilderness Search and Rescue‚ the ASR/EMS Skymed rescue helicopter‚ NSRI Wilderness crew‚ and Neighbourhood Watch members‚ had searched throughout the day but no trace had been found of the missing woman‚ the NSRI said.
Police are continuing in an ongoing search operation and investigations.
NSRI Wilderness are on alert to assist Police and the Emergency Services and Neighbourhood Watch are continuing to support Police in their ongoing search.
All possibilities are being explored and investigated‚ the NSRI said.
The missing woman‚ who was studying in France and on a tour of South Africa‚ arrived in Sedgefield with a group of other young international student tourists on Wednesday.
At around 6pm on Wednesday some of the group went for a walk on the beach and returned at around 7pm which was the time that Ostbo was last seen on the beach‚ about 100 metres from the backpackers’ establishment where they were staying.
When friends noticed that she had not returned they went searching for her but to no avail. They then contacted the police and NSRI.
At the time of her disappearance‚ Ostbo was wearing blue jeans and a white shirt.
Tourism Observer
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