Bloemhof – A mentally ill woman died after she fell into a manhole in Bloemhof, North West police said on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old woman’s family had been looking for her since she left their home on Tuesday night, Lt-Col Lesego Metsi said.

At 11.45am on Wednesday a relative reported that she saw the woman’s body in a flooded manhole.

“It is suspected that the deceased could not see the hole that was covered by water… and posed danger to the residents,” said Metsi.

Police divers recovered the body around 3.30pm on Wednesday.

An inquest docket was opened. – Sapa