Three Western Cape families breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that their sons, based in New Orleans, were safe in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Leonard Kerwan, 23, of Villiersdorp, Sidney Vermeulen, 21, of Melkbosstrand and Charl le Roux of Caledon have contacted relatives to tell them they are OK.
Chris Vermeulen said his son Sidney had called at 7.30am on Monday to say he was safe in South Dakota.
Vermeulen said the family was extremely relieved and thanked friends and relatives for their support.
Leonard Kerwan senior told the Cape Argus on Monday that he and his family were elated after hearing his son was safe and sound.
He had contacted them on Sunday morning after being missing since last Thursday.
Kerwan told how they had made frantic calls in an attempt to track down their son, contacting the Red Cross as well as the South African embassy.
They then contacted a former colleague of Leonard's, who relayed a message to him to call his parents.
Kerwan senior also confirmed that Sydney and Charl had also contacted their parents after being reached via the New Orleans carnival company they all worked for.
They could now get on with their lives.
"We are very, very happy," he said.
Earlier the Kerwans said their son had been north of where Katrina had hit, and could not contact the family because phone contact within a 600km radius was impossible.