The bodies of the young couple, who were reported missing on Saturday, were retrieved from a vehicle on Monday.
CAPE TOWN – On Monday, the search for missing Leila Lees, 18, and Ethan Kirkland, 19, came to an end when the vehicle they were travelling in was found on the corners of Bird and Paul Kruger streets in Stellenbosch.
The area surrounding the quarry was cordoned off and law enforcement officials were on the scene trying to retrieve the vehicle.
The couple was reported missing on Saturday.
At the time, Western Cape provincial police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said the pair were last seen at The Niche apartment block at about 5pm on Friday.
They were driving in Kirkland’s maroon Subaru Forester.
After they were reported missing, residents in the area started searching for the couple and WhatsApp groups were started.
Kirkwood’s grandmother, Brenda Quirke Carstens, was inconsolable and said her grandson’s parents were in the UK.
“I still need to speak to my son and my daughter-in-law,” she said.
Another family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described Kirkwood as the epitome of an angel and a “very kind and loving person”.
“Every mother, father, and grandmother adored Ethan.”
Kirkwood relocated to Stellenbosch from Pretoria.
The family member said Lees was never introduced to them.
“I don’t know if his parents knew her, but us, the bigger family, haven’t met her at all,” the relative said.
As horrified family members of the couple and community members stood near the scene, a source said that two body bags were sent down to the quarry.
The quarry is in proximity to the apartment block where the couple were last seen.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the deaths and said the bodies of the couple were found in the vehicle in the dam along Paul Kruger Street in Stellenbosch.
“Earlier this morning (Monday) at around 10:10am, a community member spotted an object in a dam in the city centre and alerted the authorities.
“The local police members responded and secured the scene when they noticed the wheels of a motor vehicle, which was the only part of the vehicle that was visible.
“The police requested the assistance of the SAPS provincial diving unit and upon arrival at the scene, after assessing the circumstances, they retrieved the bodies of the two victims from the motor vehicle.
“Both victims were declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel. Stellenbosch police registered an inquest for further investigation,” Swartbooi said.
Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
