Durban - The search for the missing Chilean backpacker Slavko ‘Kako’ Yaksic has ended, with the man’s father positively identifying his body at a Ladysmith mortuary on Saturday morning.

Yaksic went missing on September 25 in Dundee, north of KwaZulu-Natal.

In a statement, Yaksic’s father, Sergio, who had flown into the country in a quest to find his missing son, confirmed he had identified him at the mortuary. He said Yaksic was found with his Chilean identity document, bank cards and driver's license.

He said he identified the body at 9am on Saturday morning.

“I recognized the body in the local mortuary and after, I went to the place were his body was found and some of his belongings and identification documents I have no doubt that the body is Slavko, therefore, his search is finalised with this date,” said the father in a statement.

Yaksic and his girlfriend had arrived in the country in August, where they visited the Kruger National Park and other areas. The woman returned home, while Yaksic stayed, intent on travelling around KZN as a backpacker.

He had intended to return home on October 10.

The father had told the Independent On Saturday that he would not leave South Africa without his son.

“I will not leave until I have found my son,” Sergio told the newspaper.

The father said he had relayed the sad news to Yaksic’s mother, Patricia.

“Patricia has been an excellent mother for my three children, only she can know the pain that is felt in this moment. After this we let know our children together with Patricia and our mothers,” he said.