Three girls and four boys got missing on Saturday, September 21, 2013 as they went searching for snails.

Seven children who got missing in the forest near the Korup Park in the Mundemba Central Sub-division in the South West Region are reported to have been found after a search organised by the Divisional Officer for Mundemba Central, Mathias Fombele.

The children were found on Sunday after they were declared missing on Saturday as they went searching for snails. According to the Divisional Officer for Mundemba Central, the children who are natives of Manja - a village near the Korup Park - were not only healthy but very stable when they were found in spite of the fact that they had not eaten anything substantial for two days. Information gathered from the D.O and other sources states that on Saturday, the three girls and four boys went searching for snails and did not show up at the end of the day.

Immediately, the Chief of Manja, HRH Chief Felix Dibutu, alerted the Divisional Officer for Mundemba Central who mobilised the villagers for an organised search. The villagers carried with them trumpets which they blowed while in the forest. The children are reported to have heard the sound and moved to the direction of searchers before they were found.

Speaking to Camnews through the phone, the Divisional Officer for Mundemba Central said the children were found in an area which is inhabited by elephants as the paths of elephants were seen on the spot. Consequently, he has banned the search of snails in the forest given that it is posting a huge number of elephants which is a direct threat to human life. As at press time, the children were reported to be in the village with their parents.