Rugby player burns to death

2004-07-04 21:55

Jan Taljaard and Nelia Richter

Knysna - A promising provincial rugby player from George and his best friend burnt to death when their boat mysteriously caught fire on the Knysna lagoon over the weekend.

The bodies of Gareth Eggeling, 25, who played rugby for the SWD Eagles for the first time earlier this year, and his friend, Christo Janse van Rensburg, 30, were found in Janse van Rensburg's boat early on Saturday evening.

The men were taking part in an angling competition.

Janse van Rensburg phoned his wife on Friday night to tell her that "the boat was leaking".

"Listen to the Englishman bailing water," he said to her shortly before midnight, referring to Eggeling.

Janse van Rensburg, a car salesman from George, added "we will make it".

It is believed that a coal stove could have caused the fire after the men lit it for heat against the cold.

Only the next morning, not having heard from their husbands and with both men's cellphones switched off, the two wives started worrying.

Janse van Rensburg's wife said on Sunday she and Linda Eggeling arrived at Knysna on Saturday afternoon looking for their husbands.

"We were at the police, and also every possible jetty. Meanwhile, a friend boated up and down the river in search of the boat."

After they had found Janse van Rensburg's bakkie at the angling club they reported the men missing.

"We then heard people talking about a boat that was gutted by fire."

Mike Elliot from the Knysna NSRI said the police informed him about 03:00 on Saturday of the burning boat.

The fire brigade was also alerted, but it is claimed that they were not equipped to deal with such a problem.

"I immediately asked whether there were people on board and the police said it did not appear so," said Elliot.

Elliot then phoned the Lightley's Houseboat Company thinking that the burning boat could have been theirs.

They could also not see any people on the boat. Elliot again spoke to the police and also informed the metro emergency services.

The burnt-out boat was eventually found northeast of the Knysna road bridge.

- Die Burger