Dutch soccer fan dies by drowning enroute to WC

A Dutch soccer fan travelling overland to this week's World Cup in South Africa has died en route in Malawi, the police said late on Sunday.

Sixty-year-old Henk Witjs, part of a 100-strong group of Dutch fans who wanted to get to the tournament by road, drowned last week in Lake Malawi after ignoring warnings about strong currents.

"He was later found dead on Wednesday after drowning in Lake Malawi... we are still investigating what might have transpired leading to his death," National police spokesman Willie Mwaluka said.

Members of the 22-vehicle convoy, which left Amsterdam on April 3, had a "very emotional memorial service at the edge of the lake" in the landlocked southern African nation, South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper said.

Dutch fans would wear black armbands over their orange soccer jerseys for the tournament, which kicks off on June 11, the paper added.