Couple found dead in Kruger National Park identified as Dina and Ernst Marais

Retired South African couple found stabbed in Kruger National Park river after likely encounter with…

Retired couple Ernst and Dina Marais were found stabbed with hands bound in the Pafuri section of Kruger National Park on May 22, 2026 — the first such incident in the park's history — with their 4x4 stolen, pointing to a poaching gang ambush near the unfenced Mozambique border. South African National Parks launched a major cross-border manhunt, and authorities warn the incident risks damaging tourist confidence in a destination that records millions of visits annually.