Three British women have reportedly disappeared in South Africa after missing their scheduled flights home, around 6,000 miles from their families in the UK.
Liz Osborne, Kimberlee Langley and Mel Wright travelled to South Africa on October 22 and were expected to return between October 30 and November 1.
Relatives say Liz, her niece Kimberlee and their friend Mel, all from Market Harborough, have not been heard from since. The three women were reported missing on November 4.
It remains unclear whether they boarded their return flight. Local reports suggest the aircraft they were due to take may have been delayed and diverted through France.
Liz’s daughter, Courtney, has since filed a missing persons report on behalf of all three women.
In an appeal shared online, Courtney wrote: ‘My mum Liz Osborne has officially been reported missing.
‘She is missing alongside my cousin Kimberlee Langley and Kim’s friend Mel Wright.
Liz Osborne is one of three women reported missing after they failed to return from a South African holiday
Kimberlee Langley, pictured above, is Liz Osborne’s niece. They travelled to South Africa with their friend Mel Wright on October 22
Family friend Mel Wright has also not been heard from
‘It is understood that they left the country on October 22 and were due to return around October 30 or November 1, 2026.
‘If anyone has any information, please contact me or the police immediately.’
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
The disappearance comes as the family of another British woman who went missing while hiking in South Africa last year calls for her case to be investigated as murder.
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Lorna McSorley, 71, from Teignmouth, Devon, disappeared in September 2025 while walking in South Africa with her partner of 30 years, 82-year-old Leon Probert.
The couple had left their hotel, the Ghost Mountain Inn in KwaZulu-Natal, for a short walk to look for wildlife.
During the outing, Leon found the heat and distance overwhelming. He returned to the hotel to retrieve his hat, leaving Lorna to carry on alone.
It was the last time he saw her.
Lorna has never been found, despite an extensive search of the surrounding area after she failed to return three hours later.
Some local residents believe she may have been abducted and killed for her body parts to be used in ‘muti’ rituals.
Last month, Lorna’s brother Geoff Sheward said he wanted authorities to treat the case as a murder investigation rather than a missing persons inquiry.
A year after her disappearance, the 73-year-old said the family remains unable to properly mourn her.
‘As difficult as it would be to hear any horrific details, knowing nothing is far worse,’ he told The Times.
‘We are stuck in limbo, unable to settle her affairs or know how to grieve.’
The northern part of KwaZulu-Natal, where Lorna disappeared, is regarded as an area with strong beliefs in ‘muti’, a form of traditional medicine or magic.
Although many ‘muti’ rituals involve plants or animals, some people believe the most powerful charms and medicines require human body parts.
Such practices are sometimes associated with wealthy or influential individuals seeking an advantage, including business figures pursuing deals, gang members looking for protection or politicians seeking high office.
Several local residents previously told The Times that a ‘muti’ killing was the likely explanation for Lorna’s disappearance and presumed death.