A retired married couple was found dead in a river at South Africa’s renowned Kruger National Park on Friday, May 22, 2026, according to multiple reports. The victims, identified as Ernst and Dina Marais, were discovered during a search operation that was launched after they failed to return to their camp that evening. The Sun reported that the victims had been stabbed and that their hands were bound behind their backs.The couple checked into the park on Sunday, May 17, 2026 and were last seen alive at the Pafuri picnic area on Wednesday morning, May 20, 2026, when they left their holiday accommodations, Cape Times reported. According to the South African news outlet, Ernst and Dina Marais were residents of Mossel Bay on South Africa’s southern coast. A source from Kruger National Park told The Sun that authorities initially believed the couple might have gone off‑road and broken down after local flooding, but later received word that two bodies had been discovered. The source added that rangers found the victims in the river at Crook’s Corner and pulled them onto the bank to await police.“It was hoped that they had gone off road and broken down after heavy local floods somewhere but then we got a call to say two bodies had been found,” the source said. “They were in the river at Crook’s Corner which has a bit of a notorious reputation and when our rangers got to the scene they pulled the two bodies up onto the riverbank to wait for police. Both had been stabbed in what was clearly a very brutal attack and had been thrown into the river no doubt for the crocs and their 4 x 4 had been stolen so this is a very major incident for us,” it added.“We have never had an incident like this in the history of the Kruger and we are praying that this does not cause a major tourist knee- jerk reaction who decide it is no longer a safe place for them to visit. This is an extremely safe national park and this has shocked us all,” the source continued.Couple may have run into poachersA source from South African police told The Sun on the condition of anonymity that they suspected the couple may have unexpectedly run into a gang of poachers who killed them to prevent them raising the alarm.“Their pick-up truck would have been an easy way to transport anything they were carrying if they were smugglers and there are unfenced ways to get across the river into Mozambique. A large manhunt is underway focusing on the assumption they are already out of the Kruger,” he told the news outlet.Search operation launchedIn a media release published on Saturday, May 23, South African National Parks (SANParks) confirmed “with shock and sadness” that two bodies were discovered in the Pafuri section of the park. “The management of South African National Park has learned with shock and sadness of the discovery of bodies of two tourists in the Pafuri section (Nxanatseni North Region) of the Kruger National Park on Friday, 22 May 2026, the media release said.“A search operation was launched on Thursday, 21 May 2026 evening after camp staff noticed the tourists had not returned to camp. The search continued, on Friday, 22 May 2026 leading to the gruesome discovery of two bodies near a river area by other tourists,” it added.“Rangers were alerted and it was also established that the vehicle the tourists had been travelling in was missing from the scene. It is the first time in the history of the Kruger National Park that an incident of this nature has been reported, sadly reacted the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp,” according to the SANParks media release. “The next of kin of the deceased have been informed and the organisation will assist the family with transport to Limpopo as well as accommodation and repatriation costs. Minister Aucamp, the Board and Management of SANParks extend their deepest condolences to the affected family and friends,” the release read.