When Jayde Panayiotou went missing from her home a few weeks ago, social media played a huge part in sending out the message for her safe return, and when images of her alleged kidnappers were released, they were shared by thousands of people, thus bringing them in in record timing. The same thing is starting to happen for a 25-year old Cape Town man who went missing on Table Mountain last week.

Taro Spies, a resident of Muizenberg, left his home to go for a hike on Tuesday. Since then, no one has heard from him or seen him. His car was found on Tafelberg Road on Wednesday morning, when his parents filed a missing persons report with the SAPS.

We suspect that he, being an active keen hiker and a very fit guy, parked his car and he went for a hike.

Brent Jennings, the volunteer search co-ordinator, has explained why the search area is not as simple as we would like to think:

The problem with Table Mountain is that it might seem very small but it is actually quite vast and a tremendously complex terrain. It is difficult for people to search thoroughly.

More than 40 people, including his friends and family, are looking for Taro around “various parts of Devil’s Peak, the Twelve Apostles, Orange Kloof in Hout Bay and the lower slopes of Vredehoek”. A search and rescue helicopter had also been called in by Thursday.

As the search continues, people have taken to Facebook and other platforms to share images and descriptions of Taro.

Taro is very well known in the climbing family and all his regular paths and routes have been checked. Here’s hoping he has just gone out for a long wander and is found safe and sound.

[Source: News24]