Authorities are investigating the tragic deaths of two tourists whose bodies were discovered in the northern section of the Kruger National Park (KNP), in what officials say is an unprecedented incident for the iconic conservation area.
The bodies were found on Friday, 22 May 2026, in the Pafuri section of the park’s Nxanatseni North Region after a search operation was launched the previous evening when camp staff noticed the tourists had failed to return to their accommodation.
According to the South African National Parks (SANParks), the search resumed on Friday and led to the gruesome discovery near a river area after other tourists alerted park rangers.
“Rangers were alerted and it was also established that the vehicle the tourists had been travelling in was missing from the scene,” SANParks said, adding that the matter has now been handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation.
The disappearance of the tourists’ vehicle has intensified scrutiny around the circumstances surrounding the deaths, with authorities remaining tight-lipped as investigations continue.
