A body believed to be that of missing 46-year-old hiker Wayne Barnard has been found on Table Mountain in Cape Town, Western Cape, following a search that began after he disappeared while hiking alone on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. Western Cape police confirmed that the body of an adult man was found on Thursday by members of SAPS and Wilderness Search and Rescue teams.

Police said formal identification is still underway. An inquest has been registered, while a postmortem examination will be conducted to establish the cause of death.

Wayne Barnard Missing From Table Mountain, Cape Town, After Hiking Alone

Body Found During Search for Wayne Barnard

The discovery follows the search for Wayne Barnard, who was reported missing after hiking alone on Table Mountain on Wednesday.

According to Western Cape police, a missing-person case was registered at Cape Town Central SAPS on Wednesday after reports that the 46-year-old had disappeared.

Police Captain F.C. van Wyk said SAPS members and Wilderness Search and Rescue teams were activated to search for Barnard on Table Mountain.

The body of an adult man was located and recovered by the search teams on Thursday.

Police said they believe the deceased man may be Barnard, but formal identification by his family is still in progress in cooperation with police.

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Wayne Barnard Last Contact on Table Mountain

Wayne Barnard last made contact at approximately 11:05am on Wednesday, when he shared his location and a photograph from Table Mountain.

His phone subsequently went off or became unreachable.

His disappearance prompted an urgent appeal for information, with the family and authorities asking people familiar with Table Mountain, including hikers and trail users, to assist with information that could help locate him.

Barnard was 46 years old and was described as a white male with brown and grey hair. He was approximately 1.91 metres tall and weighed about 90 kilograms.

He was reportedly wearing a khaki green O’Neill puffer jacket, bottle-green cargo pants and black takkies.

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Family Friend Confirms Wayne Barnard Has Died

A family friend, Brenda Austen Keichel, also shared an update on Thursday indicating that Barnard had been found but had died.

She confirmed that the search had been officially called off and thanked those who had assisted during the search effort.

Keichel also asked the public to respect the Barnard family’s privacy during this difficult period.

The family announcement comes as police continue with the formal identification process.

Until that process is completed, authorities have not formally confirmed that the body is that of Barnard.

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Inquest and Postmortem to Establish Cause of Death

Police have registered an inquest following the discovery of the body.

According to Captain van Wyk, a postmortem examination will be conducted. This will assist authorities in determining the cause of death.

No further details about the circumstances surrounding the death have been provided by police at this stage.

The discovery brings the search operation to an end, while formal identification and the investigation into the circumstances of the death continue.

The Barnard family has asked for privacy, and further information can be reported as it is formally confirmed by police or the family.

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