NSRI

22/10/2026

A Week of Life-Saving Missions: Every week, our volunteer rescue crews respond to emergencies across South Africa, from our coastlines to inland waters.
Here’s a look at some of the rescues, images, and moments from the past week that reflect their courage, skill, and unwavering commitment to saving lives. To read more incredible stories from the world of the NSRI, visit our news page here: https://www.nsri.org.za/news-stories

22/10/2026

After nearly two decades in the NSRI fleet, the *Spirit of Vodacom* has a new home.

Following a four-month refurbishment in Cape Town, the vessel has made the journey to Station 15 Mossel Bay, where she will now serve as Rescue 15.

With greater range and endurance, her arrival strengthens the station’s ability to respond to incidents along the coastline and further offshore.

After 19 years of answering the call, this is the beginning of her next chapter.

Read the full story of Rescue 15’s journey to Mossel Bay: https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/09/a-new-chapter-for-the-spirit-of-vodacom-rescue-vessel/

21/10/2026

At 14h29, Monday, 19 October, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were placed on alert to prepare for a maritime medical evacuation operation for 3 male seafarers injured on board a 292-meter bulk carrier motor vessel at anchorage offshore of Richards Bay.
https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/nsri-richards-bay-wednesday-21-october-a-maritime-medical-evacuation-operation-of-2-injured-seafarers/

21/10/2026

🗳️ Our Witbank Dam crew needs your vote!

Volunteer crew at NSRI Station 35 Witbank Dam have been named one of 10 finalists for the People’s Choice Award at the International Maritime Rescue Federation Awards 2026. They are the only South African finalists this year.

The nomination recognises a demanding night rescue. The crew travelled 140 km to reach four people trapped at the edge of the 40-metre Grootdraai Dam spillway. In the dark, in strong winds and fast-flowing water, they adapted as conditions changed and brought all four people to safety.

They now stand alongside nominees from seven countries, including the RNLI, the Swedish Sea Rescue Society, Coastguard New Zealand, Marine Rescue NSW and China’s Beihai No.1 Rescue Flying Team.

This award isn’t decided by judges. It’s decided by you. 💙

👉 Vote here (it takes less than 20 seconds): surveymonkey.com/r/2026PCAward

Voting closes at midnight on 30 October 2026, and the winner will be announced on 25 November at the IMRF Conference in Saint-Malo, France.

Please vote, share this post and help us show the world what our volunteers do.

20/10/2026

A 48-year-old man from Belgium is expected to be discharged from hospital today after a non-fatal drowning incident at a remote beach between Brenton-on-Sea and Buffalo Bay on Monday afternoon. The man, on a cycling holiday with his family, is believed to have been caught in rip currents while swimming.

A 48-year-old man from Belgium is expected to be discharged from hospital today after a non-fatal drowning incident at a remote beach between…

20/10/2026

On Saturday morning, NSRI Port Nolloth volunteers on a routine training exercise responded when a local mining vessel raised concern for three of her crew who had gone ashore on their RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) and had not been heard from. All three were found safe in the harbour.
https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/mining-vessel-crew-assisted-after-rhib-loses-motor-power/

20/10/2026

55 years of service. Two remarkable NSRI journeys.

In 1971, Pat van Eyssen and Ian Hamilton began their journeys with the NSRI.

Pat was 19 when he joined after being invited to a training session. Ian helped establish what would become Station 15 Mossel Bay, despite having little experience with boats or the sea.

Five and a half decades later, both have seen the NSRI grow from an organisation working with limited resources into a world leader in search and rescue.

Along the way, there have been difficult rescues, lives saved and countless moments that have stayed with them. But for both Pat and Ian, it has always come back to the people and the difference volunteers can make.

55 years on, their commitment remains an extraordinary example of what it means to volunteer.

Read their stories and discover just how far the NSRI has come: https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/09/pat-van-eyssen-and-ian-hamilton-celebrate-55-years-of-service/

19/10/2026

NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following a request for medical assistance from a group of hikers reporting that a female in their group was suffering an injury and unable to continue on the walk.
https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/injured-hiker-rescued-from-robberg-nature-reserve-by-nsri-plettenberg-bay/

19/10/2026

https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/nsri-richards-bay-monday-19-october-a-man-is-missing/

NSRI – Richards Bay – Monday, 19 October. A man is missing:


Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, said:

At 17h33, Sunday, 18 October, NSRI Richards Bay duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Main Beach, Alkanstrand, Richards Bay.

Reports indicated 2 persons appearing to be in distress in the surf zone, caught in rip currents.

NSRI rescue swimmers, our NSRI rescue vehicle, the SA Police Service, Police Search and Rescue, uMhlathuze Fire and Rescue Services and Mounties EMS (Emergency Medical Services) responded.

While responding further eyewitness emergency calls indicated that one man had managed to reach the shore and one man had gone missing in the surf zone.

On arrival on the scene, it was confirmed that one man, age 26, was safely ashore and his friend, age 27, had gone missing after last being seen in distress appearing to be caught in rip currents in the surf zone.

An extensive search has revealed no signs of the missing man.

Police have opened an investigation.

It appears that while swimming the 26 year old may have been caught in rip currents when his friend reportedly tried to assist him but he was then caught in the rip currents.

Paramedics attended to the 26 year old and after being medically assessed he required no further medical care.

Police Search and Rescue are continuing in ongoing search efforts for the missing man.

Thoughts and care are with the family and friends of the missing man in this difficult time.

NSRI – STATION 19, Richards Bay.NSRI – Richards Bay – Monday, 19 October. A man is missing: Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander,…

19/10/2026

In swells of up to 5 metres, NSRI Table Bay crew hoisted a seriously injured seafarer from a 229-metre cargo ship 12 nautical miles offshore on Saturday, 17 October, bringing him safely back to land and into the care of paramedics.

NSRI Table Bay carried out a maritime medical evacuation of a seriously injured 30-year-old Filipino seafarer from a 229-metre cargo ship, 12 nautical…

21/09/2026

Well done Anrich Schnetler, who qualified as a crew member last Wednesday night, welcome to the team.

21/09/2026

W**e tasting Friday and Saturday on Thesens Habour Town, in support of different Knysna charities, including NSRI Knysna. Please support this event if possible.

16/08/2026

Well done gentlemen, 75 years of combined service to NSRI Knysna.
Congratulations Declan Nurse, Jerome Simonis and Grant van Staden for your achievement of 25 years of service each and honorary life membership.

21/06/2026

Thank you Knysna Seahorses and the Knysna community for organising and supporting this beautiful event, celebrating winter solstice and Father’s Day with a cool dip in our estuary.

14/06/2026

NSRI – Buffels Bay – Sunday, 14 June. A missing surfer has been safely rescued:


Jerome Simonis, NSRI Knysna station commander, said:

At 12h17, Saturday, 13 June, NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated following reports to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) of a surfer missing while surfing at Buffels Bay, along the Garden Route, near to Knysna.

NSRI crew responded to the NSRI Knysna station 12 rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft Eileen Medway and JayTee IV were launched.

WC Government Health EMS Metro Control placed the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter on high alert while an EMS rescue squad drone unit was activated and responded to Buffels Bay.

ER24 ambulance services were placed on alert.

Reports indicated that a 33 year old female, from George, had been surfing with 3 friends at Buffels Bay since around 09h30 in ideal surfing conditions with big waves while her partner was nearby at a local restaurant while they were surfing.
Her 3 friends had returned to the beach after surfing and they, and her partner, had assumed that the lady was still out in the waves surfing - they could see at least 4 surfers still in the water surfing and they had assumed that she was in amongst those surfers.

Only later when 3 of those 4 surfers also returned to the beach - the 1 surfer who remained at sea surfing did not match the description of the lady and they immediately initiated a search along the shoreline.

Realising that his partner could not be located in the water in the vicinity of where she had earlier been surfing he had flagged down and requested a bystander to call NSRI to raise the alarm while they continued to search and to alert the other surfers and bystanders to help in their efforts to try to find her. They feared that she may be missing at sea.

The 2 NSRI rescue craft navigated 3.5 meter to 4.5 meter swells through the Knysna Heads and responded in rough sea conditions to Buffels Bay where on arrival on the scene a search commenced for the missing female surfer who was now believed to have been missing for possibly a considerable time.

While responding to the scene it was taken into account, by NSRI crew responding on the boats while assessing sea conditions, that based on where she had been surfing (her last known position) the sea drift conditions may well have been in the direction towards Brenton-On-Sea and on arrival on the scene a sea search was initiated going in that direction, towards Brenton-On-Sea - following the sea currents direction.

During a search the NSRI crew on the NSRI rescue craft spotted a surfer who sat up on her surfboard (after she had seen NSRI rescue craft in the area) and at 12h47 the NSRI rescue craft reached her and rescued her onto the rescue craft.

Medical treatment for hypothermia was immediately commenced on the rescue craft while ER24 ambulance services were activated to respond to the NSRI rescue base in Knysna.

Her partner and friends were informed that she had been found and safely rescued and her partner was requested to make his way to the NSRI Knysna rescue base.

Responding emergency services were notified that the lady had been found and rescued.

On our arrival at our NSRI rescue base treatment for hypothermia was continued and the lady was reunited with her partner.

After the all clear was received by paramedics, with the lady responding well to the medical treatment, requiring no further medical treatment, she was released into the care of her partner and no further assistance was required.

It appears that while surfing the female surfer had been separated from her friends (this is normal to happen while surfing) but, unknown to her partner and friends, she had drifted away, further out to sea and in the direction of Brenton-On-Sea. But with the incoming tide (New Moon Spring tide) while drifting further out to sea and towards Brenton-On-Sea, despite all her efforts to try to paddle on her surfboard towards the shoreline she made no headway and eventually she simply lay on her surf board in efforts to remain calm and to conserve energy. The lady is commended for staying with her surfboard aware that eventually her partner and friends would realise that she is no longer surfing there and confident that they would raise the alarm on realising her distress.

NSRI are aware that sea conditions were not conducive to her being able to get to shore against the offshore sea currents in a hypothermic state (with reduced energy).

NSRI commend all who got involved in the efforts to raise the alarm and to start searching for her that initiated the extensive swift emergency response that contributed to her life being saved.
Stock photo

14/06/2026

11/06/2026

Winter solstice will be on Sunday, 21/6/2026, and how about joining the Knysna Seahorses and us for some irrational fun and challenging yourself with a refreshing cold water plunge, all in the name of raising some funds for your local NSRI base?
Details are on the flyer below.
Thanks to 34 Degrees South, Knysna Lifestyle Estate, and Mungo for the support.

05/04/2026

Jerome Simonis, NSRI Knysna station commander, said:

At 18h24, Friday, 3 April, NSRI Knysna duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a male on a sea-kayak appearing to be in distress at the outer bar, Knysna Heads.

Our NSRI duty crew responded to our NSRI Knysna station 12 rescue base where the NSRI craft Jaytee IV was launched while an NSRI crewman's private craft responded.

On arrival on the scene we found a 44 year old German tourist unable to paddle back through the Heads in the outgoing Spring tide after taking an evening paddle.

Grateful to have NSRI at his side he was taken onboard our rescue craft and his sea-kayak was recovered.

He was brought safely to shore without incident and he required no further assistance.

The eyewitnesses are commended for raising the alarm.
Video supplied by Harli Bell