Senegalese tourist still missing at Brandberg

“We will not give up.” With these words Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu gave his assurance that the widespread search for the missing Senegalese tourist at the Brandberg mountain will continue – even though the person has now been missing for close to a week.

Mark Mokosho was reported missing in the vicinity of Namibia’s highest mountain on Friday last week (15 December). By the time of going to print yesterday he was not yet found and the search by air using the police helicopter as well as on the ground continued.
“This is at least the fourth time that the police helicopter has been sent out to conduct an aerial search of the area”, Iikuyu said. Iikuyu is the police regional crime investigations coordinator for Erongo based in Walvis Bay. “In addition, we have deployed our members on the ground”, he further explained.
According to Iikuyu, five members of the Special Reserve Force as well as police members based at Uis have been searching the area by foot. They have also lit a big fire in the hope that Mokosho would see the smoke and find his way to them.
The Senegalese national resides in the United States of America and is currently on holiday in Namibia. On Friday 15 December he drove from Swakopmund to the Brandberg for camping. He was travelling alone in a white Ford Ranger owned by Namibia Car Rentals.
He was initially spotted walking by locals in the area the same day. He parked the car next to the “D2342” gravel road. The gravel road leads from the C35 to the abandoned Brandberg West tin mine. That same evening the car was found at the same spot, but there was no trace of Mokosho.
The car was parked about ten kilometers from the Brandberg mountain close to a small outcrop. It is suspected that Mokosho left his vehicle behind and walked to the Brandberg mountain by foot and proceeded to ascend the mountain.
The chances of Mokosho’s survival are diminishing by the day, as there is currently very little water available on the mountain, whilst both day and night temperatures reach extremes.