Polish tourist drowns

March 07, 2008
ZululandOBSERVER


Polish tourist drowns
Family grief -Janusz Warchol and his mother Genowefa are preparing to return to Poland for the funeral of their father and husband
Gina McLaren
AN elderly Polish tourist became the third drowning victim in a week at St Lucia.Branislaw Warchol (75) drowned in heavy surf conditions at the main beach last Tuesday.Described as ‘fit and healthy’, Branislaw and his wife Genowefa (71) came out to South Africa to visit with their son Janusz Warchol (43), an engineer at Impala Platinum close to Springs.The family arrived on 23 February and enjoyed a daily swim.On Tuesday at about 10.30am, Janusz left his parents and returned at noon when his concerned mother reported that Branislaw had gone for a swim, but had not returned.Janusz searched in the surf and then walked up the beach, where he found his father’s body some 300 metres away.He ran back to console his mother and alert the authorities. Further trauma occurred when the body was left on the beach for over three hours awaiting the arrival of a mortuary vehicle. A post mortem confirmed drowning as the cause of death.The family will return to Poland, where a memorial service will be held, with the ashes of Branislaw.