News24.com | Two dead, 15 missing after being swept away in raging Jukskei River

Police are searching for 15 people who were swept away.

Johannesburg emergency medical services team are continuing their search for 15 people who are alleged to have been swept away by the Jukskei River on Saturday evening.

"Two people were confirmed dead on the scene and one person was rescued and taken to a nearby healthcare facility," said EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.

He said the search was called off at 22:00 on Saturday due to a lack of visibility and the risk to rescue workers who would have needed to go into the river to search for the missing people.

READ | Rivers, dams pose biggest risk for drowning, NSRI research shows

It's understood that a church baptism was being conducted at the river when the tragic incident occurred.

Mulaudzi said:

Mulaudzi added that they would be enlisting the services of a local pastor to help locate the missing people's whereabouts "to remove any uncertainty while we continue to search". 

He said the pastor would contact other church members.

"Some might have dispersed [to safety] while the storm was in progress."

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