Tongaat father found safe, 12 days after going missing during India holiday

A 69-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man who disappeared from Mumbai airport in India nearly two weeks ago is on Sunday being reunited with his daughter.

Dhramalingum "Dan" Pillay of Tongaat was returning from a holiday in the country when he went missing hours before the flight on January 31.

Confirming he was found safe, family spokesperson Mandy Govender, an ex-police officer and community worker formerly from Tongaat, said: "He is fine and at Sahar police station ... being handed over to his daughter."

The search for him had seen 6,000 pamphlets distributed offering a reward of Rs50,000 (about R10,000). Govender said a broadcast was made on cable TV and articles were run in local media.

Pillay, who has dementia, had gone missing after walking away from his daughter during a layover at the Mumbai airport, while they were waiting for their flight to be called.

Reaction Unit South Africa also confirmed he was found safe, saying this had been verified with his family.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.