Joao was badly wounded and Braz and Van Der Walt were killed when their patrol crossed a gravel road in the kill zone of a vehicle ambush. Large force of dug in SWAPO with mortars and machine guns were able to inflict casualties and pin the patrol down. Reinforcements dislodged the ambushing force, but were forced to secure the immediate area and attend to casualties rather than pursue the enemy. When 2Lt Van Der Walt was hit, Braz went to his aid and was hit multiple times by the same dug in PKM machine gun. Braz was alive when casevac arrived, but died moments later.
https://www.izkor.gov.il (Israeli Fallen Soldiers & Victims of Terrorism database — search by name)