The body of 65-year-old Deven Naicker has been found in Thailand
The family of Durban pensioner Deven Naicker has confirmed his death, bringing a heartbreaking end to a week-long search after he disappeared while holidaying in Phuket, Thailand.
The 65-year-old, from Yellowwood Park, had been missing since November 8, two days after arriving in Thailand, according to the Sunday Tribune.
His family confirmed the news but declined to comment further. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.
According to Thai news website The Phuket News, Naicker's body was discovered on November 13 in an oil palm plantation off Phra Metta Road in Patong.
The publication reported that authorities were awaiting formal identification and confirmation of the cause of death.
Preliminary findings reportedly indicated that the clothing found on the deceased matched what Naicker had been wearing when he disappeared.
Naicker arrived in Phuket on November 6 and was last seen leaving the Ashlee Hotel, where he had checked in after arriving in the country.
His daughter, Lavanya Naicker, 35, previously told the Sunday Tribune that her father had contacted her after arriving at the hotel. It was the last time she heard from him.
“My father travelled for the first time alone but he is not new to travelling. The red flag was raised when I failed to get a hold of him on Saturday,” she said.
The family's concerns escalated when his cellphone remained switched off and repeated attempts to contact him proved unsuccessful.
They subsequently contacted the hotel, which provided CCTV footage showing Naicker leaving the premises and walking towards a nearby market.
However, there was no footage of him returning.
“The footage showed him walking towards the side of markets which is close to the hotel. However, there was no footage of him returning.
“The hotel said they have not seen him since that day. They even checked his room, but he was not there,” Lavanya said.
The disappearance was particularly distressing for the family, as Naicker had been looking forward to the trip for years.
According to his daughter, he had originally planned the holiday to celebrate his 60th birthday but postponed it after his wife died in 2021, just days before his birthday.
“My dad postponed the trip when my mum passed away. It was to celebrate his 60th birthday. Sadly, my mum passed away a few days before his birthday and the trip never happened.
“So finally this year he said he would go. He asked if I wanted to go with him but I was busy with work,” she said.
Lavanya was preparing to travel to Thailand to help with the search when she received confirmation of her father's death.