Residents of Hout Bay gathered as a community on Wednesday evening to hold a candlelight vigil for 22-year-old Nick Frischke, a German tourist who went missing last month during a hike.
Residents of the Hout Bay community, close to South Africa’s capital Cape Town, held a candlelight vigil as the search continued for German tourist Nick Frischke, 22, who went missing during a hike https://t.co/AdRssYqFaT pic.twitter.com/dQXHI80kF3
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2023
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The candlight vigil was organised by a local hiking group. Various hiking groups have signed up to participate in a search for Frischke on Saturday.
Marianne Mohd, a member of the local hiking group, told BushRadioNews that the idea for the vigil came about while they were hiking.
“We were just talking about what had happened to Nick, and as mommies, how we associate with his mom. This is a child who is not in his country, [this vigil] is saying your child is my child, his mommy is not here, but we are here to represent her. And that is what we want her to feel,” said Mohd.
According to police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, reports suggested that before his disappearance, Nick was a resident at a local bed and breakfast in Pinelands.
“On Tuesday, 14 February 2023 at around 10am, he left his premises on foot and never returned. At the time of his disappearance, he was last seen wearing blue denim shorts with white tekkies and a beige T-shirt and a backpack,” Swartbooi said.
Also read: NSRI Hout Bay joins efforts to locate 22-year-old German tourist
It has since been reported that police arrested five suspects aged between 20 and 25 after they were found in possession of items belonging to the missing German tourist.
The group of suspects appeared in court on robbery charges with aggravating circumstances on Tuesday, but the case was postponed until 6 March for further investigation.
Three of the five suspects allegedly confessed to robbing Frischke, while one of the three accused confessed to being involved in the attack, adding that one of his accomplices had stabbed the young man.
The Hout Bay Community Police Forum (CPF) reportedly said that the missing tourist’s backpack, cell phone, and a kitchen knife had been recovered.
Also read: Suspect admits to stabbing missing German tourist as five appear in court
Police urged anyone with information that could lead to Nick’s safe return to contact the investigating officer Detective Sergent Daluxolo Mhlauli on 076 609 0764, or alternatively call Crime Stop on 08600 1011.
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