21 year old Norwegian woman, Marie Sæther Østbø, still missing in South Africa
The search for Marie Sæther Østbø (21) resumed again on Friday morning. The Norwegian student from Stavanger is missing in Sedgefield in South Africa.
Østbø was last seen at 19.00 on Wednesday night. Then she was with a group of international students she was travelling with, about 100 meters away from her hotel in the town of Sedgefield.
On Friday, the search will continue, confirmed Malcolm Pojie of the South African police to VG newspaper.
Looking with special police and divers
“The group had walked on the beach when they went outside. They had gone back to the hotel when she stopped to take pictures. When the rest went to dinner half an hour later, they saw that she hadn’t arrived. They went to search, and alerted police and a search party promptly,” said Marie’s father, Atle Østbø, to Dagbladet.
Police and coast-guard were put on the search at 19.40 on Wednesday. The search had to end later that evening due to bad weather, but was in full swing again on Thursday with drones, dogs, local personnel and civilians searching both land and sea.
On Friday, special police, coast guards, volunteers and diving crew will be put in place to continue the search.
‘’Think she was kidnapped’’
According to South African authorities, Marie Sæther Østbø’s mobile phone, shoes and a cap were found on the beach on Thursday morning.
“Of course, we are very worried about what might have happened, but we do not want to draw any conclusions yet. We will do everything we can to find her,” said Malcolm Pojie to VG.
He said there is nothing new to add since the search was completed on Thursday.
Atle Østbø is afraid that his daughter may have been kidnapped.
‘’We have not given up hope of finding her alive. I think she might be overwhelmed because she had never put on her shoes, cap and left her mobile on the beach,and bathed with the photo device she had just bought,” he told Stavanger Aftenblad newspaper.
UD informed
Østbø is studying in France and South Africa. She arrived at Sedgefield on Wednesday wrote the South African Coast Guard in a press release. They asked everyone who has information about the incident to contact them and say they will leave no stone unturned in finding the woman.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that they have been informed that a Norwegian citizen is missing.
“We are aware that a Norwegian citizen is missing in South Africa. The Embassy in Pretoria is in contact with local authorities and has offered consular assistance to the family,” said Communications Manager, Frode Andersen, of the UD to VG newspaper.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
