Three British women from Market Harborough have been reported missing after travelling to South Africa and failing to return to the UK as scheduled.
Liz Osborne, her niece Kimberlee Langley and their friend Mel Wright arrived in South Africa on October 22 and were expected to return home between October 30 and November 1.
However, their families say they have had no contact with the women since their trip, prompting concerns about their whereabouts. The trio were officially reported missing on November 4.
It remains unclear whether the women boarded their scheduled return flight.
Local reports suggest the aircraft they were expected to travel on may have experienced delays and been diverted through France.
Daughter Files Missing Persons Report
Liz’s daughter, Courtney, has filed a missing persons report covering all three women and appealed publicly for information that could help locate them.
In a social media statement, she confirmed that her mother had been officially declared missing alongside Kimberlee and Mel.
Courtney said the women were believed to have left the UK for South Africa on October 22, with their return expected around October 30 or November 1.
She urged anyone with information about their movements or whereabouts to contact her or the police immediately.
The UK Foreign Office has been approached for comment on the disappearance.
Family Seeks Murder Investigation Into Missing British Woman
The disappearance comes as another British family continues to seek answers over the fate of a woman who went missing in South Africa last year.
Lorna McSorley, 71, from Teignmouth, Devon, disappeared in September 2025 while visiting the country with her long-term partner, Leon Probert, 82.
The couple had been staying at the Ghost Mountain Inn in KwaZulu-Natal when they decided to take a short walk in search of local wildlife.
During the outing, Probert reportedly struggled with the heat and distance and returned to the hotel to collect his hat, leaving McSorley to continue the walk alone.
He never saw her again.
McSorley failed to return after three hours, prompting an extensive search of the surrounding area.
Despite the operation, there has been no confirmed information about what happened to her.
Family Suspects Possible Muti-Related Killing
Residents in the area where McSorley disappeared have raised concerns that she may have been kidnapped and killed, with her body parts allegedly intended for use in traditional ‘muti’ rituals.
The practice involves traditional medicine and spiritual beliefs, particularly in parts of northern KwaZulu-Natal.
While many rituals use plants and animal materials, some beliefs associate human body parts with more powerful charms and medicines.
According to previous reports by The Times, several local residents believed a killing connected to such practices could explain McSorley’s disappearance.
Brother Demands Murder Probe One Year Later
McSorley’s family has continued to press for a more extensive investigation into her disappearance.
Last month, her brother, Geoff Sheward, called on authorities to treat the case as a murder investigation rather than continue handling it solely as a missing persons inquiry.
A year after she vanished, Sheward said the family remained unable to establish what happened to her or begin grieving her presumed death.
Speaking to The Times, he said the absence of answers had left the family in an uncertain position, preventing them from settling her affairs or finding closure.
He acknowledged that receiving details of a possible death would be distressing but said the continued uncertainty was even more difficult for the family.
