International Cricket Council (ICC)
Eastern Province Cricket has joined thousands of cricket fans, players and umpires in sending their heartfelt condolences to the family of former South African Umpire Rudi Koertzen.
He was killed in a car accident in the Western Cape on Tuesday morning.
More information has since come to light about the horror accident on the N2/Stillbaai offramp that claimed the lives of Koertzen and two other men.
A fourth person was injured in the smash in which a Nissan NP200 bakkie, driven by 53-year-old school principal Jacobus Tarantal collided head-on with a white Ford Eco Sport in which Koertzen and his friend 54-year-old Wouter Verwey were killed.
Photos: Jacobus Tarantal and Wouter Verwey (Facebook)
Garden Route police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie says a fourth person, believed to be the driver of the Ford Eco Sport, was airlifted to George Hospital in a critical condition.
Koertzen and his friends were driving back to Gqeberha from a golf trip to the Western Cape while Tarantal, who was the Principal of Oker Primary School at Albertinia, was en route to Riversdale.
The school issued a brief statement on their Facebook page to express its shock and sadness at Tarantal's passing and also offered counselling to its pupils.
Hoërskool Despatch in the Eastern Cape paid tribute to Verwey, who was involved with the school's rugby coaching for many years.
The school said on their Facebook page that the deaths of both Koertzen and Verwey have left a gaping hole within the Despatch community.
Verwey was also a well-respected detective with the SAPS and worked in the Gang Unit.
Captain Pojie said a case of culpable homicide was being investigated.
