NSRI, Central Beach, Plettenberg Bay (2026)

14/10/2026

Answer your phone… it could be us! 📞🎉

This Friday, 16 October, two lucky supporters will get a call they’ll never forget! We'll be announcing the winners of:

🚗 A brand-new Suzuki Jimny 5-door in our second Cars4Good draw.
💰 R150,000 in our second Monthly Giving Grand Prize draw.

Two incredible prizes. Two very happy winners. Could you be one of them? 🤞

Thank you to everyone who has entered. Every Cars4Good and Monthly Giving entry helps us continue building a water-safe nation.

Good luck!

14/10/2026

Five paddlers who became lost in dense fog off the Atlantic Seaboard on Tuesday, 13 October, are safe after a SafeTRX emergency alert from one of their group led NSRI crews to them 1.3 nautical miles off Clifton.

https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/5-paddlers-lost-in-dense-fog-safely-rescued-off-clifton/

14/10/2026

When Graham Howes’ family experienced the devastating loss of someone they loved, the NSRI’s efforts to find him left a lasting impression.

Now, that connection is helping create something that will carry Graham’s name forward.

Spirit of Graham Howes, a Gemini 5.5-metre rescue RIB being built for Station 16 Strandfontein, is expected to join the NSRI fleet later this year.

For a family whose lives were so closely connected to the ocean, it is a meaningful way to honour Graham’s memory: a rescue craft that will head out onto the water with a purpose, helping bring others safely home.

Read Graham’s story and find out more about the vessel being built in his honour: https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/09/in-memory-of-graham-howes-new-rescue-vessel-to-carry-his-legacy/

13/10/2026

https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/atlantic-seaboard-tuesday-13-october-5-paddlers-lost-in-dense-fog-have-been-safely-rescued/

13/10/2026

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

13/10/2026

NSRI Richards Bay volunteer crew assisted two foreign sailing yachts over Sunday and Monday. A British couple needed help getting their yacht across a shallow channel to the Zululand Yacht Club in strong winds, and a New Zealand couple were towed to safe moorings after their yacht’s motor failed in the harbour channel. Both crews and their yachts reached safety without incident.

12/10/2026

Twenty-four people. Ten countries. One shared goal: preventing drowning.

In September, lifesaving leaders from around the world came together at NSRI headquarters in Cape Town for the RNLI’s Leaders in Lifesaving course, co-hosted with the NSRI for the first time.

The week brought together organisations facing different challenges, but many of the same questions: how can we strengthen leadership, share knowledge and find better ways to prevent drowning?

Because the work to save lives does not stop at borders.

Read more about the course and the people working together to make our waters safer:
https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/09/ten-countries-one-goal-preventing-drowning/

11/10/2026

NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a drowning in progress at Kleinmond Main Beach Lagoon.
https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/10/nsri-kleinmond-responds-to-child-drowning-at-kleinmond-lagoon/

09/10/2026

Eight years ago, *Alick Rennie* became the first of a new generation of Offshore Rescue Craft to join the NSRI fleet.

Today, eight ORCs have been built, with the programme now complete.

The journey represents a significant investment in the future of maritime rescue, giving NSRI crews vessels designed to travel further offshore, operate in challenging conditions, and support increasingly demanding rescue operations.

From the first vessel to the last, the programme has built the capability needed to serve South Africa’s waters for decades to come.

Read the full story behind the fleet renewal programme: https://www.nsri.org.za/2026/09/looking-back-at-the-fleet-renewal-programme-that-began-with-alick-rennie/

09/10/2026

Two local men are safe and unhurt after NSRI St Lucia crew brought them ashore from a fishing ski-boat that suffered steering failure in the surf zone off Ingwe Beach on Monday, 5 October.

10/09/2026

One of the greatest strengths of NSRI Station 14 is the diversity of skills and experience within our volunteer crew. Our members come from many different backgrounds, allowing us to share knowledge and continually develop new approaches to challenging rescue situations.

Recently, we put this into practice during a high-angle rescue exercise involving a casualty at height. Two crew members brought specialist experience to the training — one a former rock-climbing and abseiling guide, and the other a Trainer for Working at Heights and qualified Rope Access Technician. Their combined knowledge helped the team work through the technical aspects of the extraction.

The casualty was lowered on a spine board before being transferred onto a floating stretcher and swum through the water to our jet RIB. From there, the casualty would ultimately be transferred onto our 7.8-metre RIB. Training for scenarios like this is particularly valuable when considering the challenging terrain around Robberg and the limitations of helicopter availability.

Exercises like this allow us to combine the skills within our crew, test our equipment and communication, and develop practical alternatives for safely extracting casualties. Train together, learn from each other and be ready for whatever the rescue environment throws at us.

07/09/2026

A big thank you to Tyremart Plettenberg Bay!

NSRI Station 14 would like to extend a massive thank you to the team at Tyremart Plettenberg Bay for generously sponsoring the wheel alignment, balancing and brake work on our NSRI 4x4, as well as our side-by-side rescue vehicle stationed at Nature’s Valley.

Keeping our vehicles properly maintained and rescue-ready is essential. These vehicles operate in challenging conditions and play a vital role in getting our crew and equipment where they are needed, whether responding to rescues, assisting in difficult terrain or supporting our training operations.

Tyremart Plett, thank you for supporting our crew and helping us keep our vehicles safe, reliable and ready to respond when the call comes. Your generosity makes a real difference to our ability to serve the communities of Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley.

03/09/2026

TRAINING FOR THE REAL THING

Recent training at NSRI Station 14 focused on one of the most challenging aspects of a coastal rescue, safely getting our rescue swimmers from our jet ribs onto the rocks.

Training in large swells and challenging conditions allowed our crews to practise the skills needed when operating close to rocks and breaking water. These conditions require patience, discipline and, most importantly, good decision-making from the entire crew.

A key focus was on our coxswains reading the sea and understanding the movement of the swell, using timing and positioning to safely manoeuvre the jet rib into the best possible position for the rescue swimmer to enter the water and make their way onto the rocks.For the rescue swimmer, it's about reading the conditions and making the right move at the right time.

Communication, timing and teamwork are critical. Regularly training in challenging conditions allows our crews to build the experience and confidence needed to make good decisions when conditions are difficult and every moment counts. Most importantly, crew safety always comes first, we cannot help a casualty if we put another rescuer in danger.

A big thank you to our dedicated crew for continuing to put in the hours, challenge themselves and sharpen the skills that could one day make all the difference. Train hard. Stay safe. Rescue well.

02/09/2026

THANK YOU, LIGHTHOUSE CAR WASH!

NSRI Station 14 would like to extend a huge thank you to Lighthouse Plettenberg Bay on Longships drive for their incredibly generous support of our station and crew.

Lighthouse Car Wash has kindly offered to sponsor a car wash for our NSRI 4x4 whenever it needs one after rescues, training exercises, or operational call-outs.

Our 4x4 is an essential part of our operations, regularly getting put through its paces on the beach, in soft sand, on rescue scenes and during training. Having a clean, well-maintained vehicle ready for the next call-out makes a real difference to our crew.

It’s support like this from local businesses that helps keep our volunteers operational and ready to respond when our community needs us most.

17/08/2026

A Day Off the Beaten Track

A huge thank you to Knysna Toyota for sponsoring NSRI Station 14 with an incredible 4x4 day!

The day gave our crew the opportunity to get behind the wheel of both their own private 4x4s and our station’s 4x4, putting our off-road driving skills to the test in challenging sand dune tracks.

This training is especially valuable to our crew as we assist with mountain rescues, where navigating challenging terrain is essential, as well as incidents requiring us to drive along the beach and through soft sand. Improving our off-road driving skills and vehicle handling ultimately helps us reach those who need us more safely and more quickly, potentially making a critical difference during a rescue.

But it wasn’t all about training. It was also a fantastic opportunity for the team to step away from the station, have some fun, share a few laughs and strengthen the bond that makes our crew what it is.

We are incredibly grateful to Knysna Toyota for investing in our team and supporting the work we do in our community.

Thank you for helping us train harder, drive smarter and respond faster. 🙌

10/08/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSRI – STATION 14, Plettenberg Bay

NSRI – Plettenberg Bay – Monday, 10 August. A medical evacuation operation from Robberg Nature Reserve:

John Bozman, NSRI Plettenberg Bay coxswain, said:

At 15h30, Saturday, 8 August, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a female injured on the Robberg Nature Reserve hiking trail, near to Fountain Shack.

An NSRI crewman, on the Island at Robberg at the time, reached the Durban female finding her injured after falling while on a run with local friends that she is visiting over the long weekend.

Her injuries were stabilised and considerations were made to secure her into a stretcher and hike her to the car park, due to heavy sea conditions that would make an extraction by rescue craft challenging.

With the estimated length of time that it would take to carry hike the 20 year old casualty to the car park NSRI crew investigated at East Beach, Island Beach and Agterstrand to see if we could bring rescue craft ashore at any of these locations.

Following investigations it was decided to extract the female from the scene by rescue craft.

Additional NSRI crew responded to our NSRI Plettenberg Bay station 14 rescue base where we launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Pilatus and Rescue Plett.

Despite challenging sea conditions with 2 to 3 meter sea swells in 15 knot South Westerly winds we beached safely at Robberg Nature Reserve where a Stokes basket stretcher was deployed with additional NSRI crew to the scene where the female was secured into the stretcher and carried to our rescue craft.

Without incident the casualty female was brought, aboard our rescue craft, safely to our NSRI rescue base and she was transported to hospital by her friends where following medical treatment for her injury, in the care of doctors and nurses, she was released requiring no further medical care.

-ENDS-

About the NSRI:
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is a registered non-profit organisation that is committed to drowning prevention and focused on saving lives, changing lives and creating futures for those threatened by drowning in South Africa.
We are unique in South Africa as the only non-profit organisation focusing exclusively on safeguarding lives and livelihoods in South African waters through education, prevention, and rescue operations. We envision a nation where drowning incidents are minimised, ensuring the safety of all.
The NSRI strives to innovate, constantly evolve, and extend our water safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility. Our volunteers are on call 24/7 and are reliant on donations and sponsorships.

Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.
NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

RELEASED BY

Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: [email protected] | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

23/07/2026

Investing in skills that save lives.

With the increasing number of inland drownings and the growing frequency of flooding incidents across South Africa, it's more important than ever that our volunteers are prepared for every rescue scenario, not just those at sea.

Over the next two weeks, four of our NSRI Station 14 crew members are heading off to attend the NSRI's specialised Swift Water Rescue training course. This advanced training equips rescuers with the knowledge and practical skills needed to safely respond to emergencies in fast-flowing rivers, flooded areas, and other inland water environments.

We wish the team the very best for the course. Train hard, stay safe, and thank you for your commitment to continually improving your skills so that you can better serve and protect our community.

Good luck, gentlemen, we're proud of you!

18/07/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSRI – STATION 14, Plettenberg Bay

NSRI – Plettenberg Bay – Saturday, 18 July. A toddler is sadly deceased after reportedly falling into a storm water pond:

At 17h16, Friday, 17 July, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew and emergency services were activated following an urgent request for assistance from Plettenberg Bay's First Responders who were on the scene with Police at New Horizons where a 3 year old local male toddler was missing in the vicinity of a storm water reservoir.

First Responders (Plettenberg Bay's volunteer community emergency medical services) and the SA Police Service had responded following reports of a toddler who had gone missing while playing with friends at an area by New Horizons, Plettenberg Bay, bordering on the N2 National road.

On arrival on the scene, during a search and investigations, children, friends of the toddler, indicated that he had gone missing after falling into a pond of water at a storm water reservoir.

While First Responders and Police commenced a search in and around the water, assisted by community members and assisted by the toddlers family, NSRI Plettenberg Bay dispatched rescue swimmers and the NSRI rescue vehicle responded (accompanied by SAWDN - SA Whale Disentanglement Network long poles - to be used to drag search the bottom of the pond).

Plettenberg Bay Fire and Rescue Services, WC Government Health EMS ambulance and rescue squad, Bitou Law Enforcement, Bitou Traffic Services and Bitou Municipality authorities responded.

Water extrication pumps were deployed by rescue and municipal teams to drain the pond where the body of the child was located, sadly deceased.

The body of the child was recovered in cooperation with Police and Government Health Forensic Services.

The body of the child has been taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an Inquest docket.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased child.

The family, and those affected by this tragedy, are in the care of Police and Municipal authorities.

-ENDS-

NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

RELEASED BY
Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: [email protected] | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

19/05/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSRI – STATION 14, Plettenberg Bay

NSRI – Plettenberg Bay – Saturday, 16 May. A lady and her 4 dogs, walking on Robberg Beach engulfed by waves, assisted to safety:

John Bosman, NSRI Plettenberg Bay deputy station commander, said:

At 12h02, Friday, 15 May, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated when an NSRI crewman, walking home along the top of Robberg Beach, while checking on the conditions of the boardwalks, following the recent storms, he happened upon a group of ladies who expressed concerns about a lady and her dogs walking on Robberg Beach, below where they were, and appearing to be unable to exit the beach that was increasingly being affected by the incoming high tide effectively trapping her on the beach where stairways, that normally provide safe transit to and from the beach, having been washed away in the recent storms.

The NSRI crewman investigated finding a lady appearing to be trying to exit the beach up steep sand dunes and vegetation that borders most of the beach line but her efforts appeared to be unsuccessful and the situation was fast becoming dire raising further concerns and with urgency the NSRI crewman activated NSRI Plettenberg Bay.

NSRI crew responded to our NSRI Plettenberg Bay station 14 rescue base to collect rescue equipment, dispatching our NSRI rescue vehicle, while additional crew responded directly to the scene.

On arrival on the scene NSRI rescue crew were able to reach the lady and her dogs, on the beach, but high tide was fast approaching threatening to cut off any escape from the beach.

The lady and her dogs were guided to an area on the beach where there is normally a wooden stairway (that stairway collapsed in the recent storms) where a pathway up a steep incline was navigated to get her and her 4 dogs safely off the beach.

Once safely up above the beach and out of danger no further assistance was required.

NSRI commend the group of ladies who raised the alarm.

-ENDS-

About the NSRI:
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is a registered non-profit organisation that is committed to drowning prevention and focused on saving lives, changing lives and creating futures for those threatened by drowning in South Africa.
We are unique in South Africa as the only non-profit organisation focusing exclusively on safeguarding lives and livelihoods in South African waters through education, prevention, and rescue operations. We envision a nation where drowning incidents are minimised, ensuring the safety of all.
The NSRI strives to innovate, constantly evolve, and extend our water safety initiatives through empowerment and visibility. Our volunteers are on call 24/7 and are reliant on donations and sponsorships.

Please visit www.nsri.org.za for more information.
NSRI EMERGENCY: 087 094 9774

RELEASED BY

Craig Lambinon
NSRI COMMUNICATIONS

Email: [email protected] | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | nsri.org.za

15/05/2026

⚠️ BEACH SAFETY WARNING – ROBBERG BEACHES ⚠️

Following the recent flooding in the Plettenberg Bay area, significant sections of the Robberg beaches have been severely eroded, leaving steep sand embankments and extremely limited space between the dunes and the ocean.

With the current new moon spring tides causing higher than normal tides, conditions along these beaches are particularly dangerous.

NSRI urges the public to exercise extreme caution and avoid walking long distances along Robberg beaches during high tide periods.

Please take note of the following dangers:

• Large sections of beach have washed away, leaving little to no escape routes when the tide pushes in.
• Steep sand dune edges and embankments are unstable and may collapse without warning.
• Getting too close to the edge could result in a serious fall.
• Incoming tides can quickly trap beach walkers against the dunes.

Today, NSRI responded to an incident where an individual and their dogs required assistance after becoming trapped by the incoming tide while positioned too close to the eroded embankments.

We appeal to all beachgoers, hikers, dog walkers, and visitors to avoid unnecessary risks and to remain well clear of unstable dune edges and areas affected by erosion.

Please monitor tide times carefully and always prioritise safety.

Stay safe.

NSRI

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