Update
SEDGEFIELD NEWS - Almost three weeks after the disappearance of a 21-year-old Norwegian student from Myoli beach in Sedgefield, authorities have decided to call off the search.
Marie Ostbo was part of a group of international students visiting the area. A preliminary investigation by police indicated that Ostbo was at a restaurant with friends when she went for a walk at the nearby beach on Wednesday 18 April at about 18:15.
She never returned and members of her tour group alerted authorities.
Afterwards, the police found Ostbo’s shoes, a cellphone and a cap on the beach during the search operation, which have been kept for further forensic analysis.
Queries regarding the search progress and possible scenarios that could have played out, sent to police by the Knysna-Plett Herald on 4 and 7 May, were left unanswered by the time of going to print.
On Monday 7 May at 11:09, a short article was published by Algoa FM in which it stated that authorities have called the search off.
According to the article, Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said that authorities decided to call off the search “based on the fact that at this stage we have not found any evidence whatsoever that suggests any criminal activity, neither could we find any trace of the missing 21-year-old".
On Wednesday morning 9 May, Pojie confirmed this with Knysna-Plett Herald in a brief telephone conversation. He said there was no evidence to indicate any foul play, and that he did not want to speculate on what might have happened to the missing girl.
He added that the scene will still be checked periodically by police and that anybody with information can contact the Knysna police.
Read previous articles:
- No news of missing student
- No sign of missing student
- Norwegian family frantic about missing student
- Missing woman: Search continues
- Search for missing woman continues
- Young woman missing
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