When people get into trouble at sea off South Africa, a national maritime search and rescue system steps in. It brings together government agencies, rescue groups, port authorities and other maritime role players, IOL reported.
The system has come under focus again after five people went overboard off Mossel Bay. Three people were confirmed dead and two were still missing, according to IOL.
The sea rescue system is part of the South African Search and Rescue system, known as SASAR. The Department of Transport said the structure has many role players because the country’s sea area is large and complex.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority, or SAMSA, runs the operational side of sea rescue. A Head of Maritime SAR Operations oversees the work across South Africa’s search and rescue region.
The system searches for crew and passengers of ships in distress and rescues survivors. It also arranges the evacuation of badly injured or sick people from vessels at sea.
At the centre is the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, or MRCC. SAMSA said the MRCC works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and its main focus is the safety of life at sea.
The MRCC coordinates rescue operations and exercises. It also monitors maritime safety information and manages emergency communication. It works with both government and non-government groups.
The National Sea Rescue Institute, or NSRI, is another part of the network. It is a volunteer rescue organisation that helps people in trouble on coastal and inland waters.
The NSRI has rescue bases along the coast, with surf, inshore and offshore rescue boats. Its Emergency Operations Centre runs day and night and takes incoming emergency calls.
The NSRI said this centre is a first point of contact for Port Control, the MRCC and other emergency call centres. It helps link the NSRI’s stations with wider emergency networks.
Not every emergency is handled the same way. The Department of Transport lists port control offices in Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Saldanha, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Richards Bay as permanent rescue sub-centres.
These sub-centres handle operations within their abilities. If a case becomes too big or complex, the MRCC can take over. NSRI bases and harbour masters act as secondary rescue sub-centres in their own areas.
Alerts can come in through port control offices, coastal radio stations, police stations, air traffic service units and the MRCC itself, according to the department.
SAMSA’s latest annual report shows how much work is done. In the 2024/25 financial year, its MRCC teams carried out 52 sea rescue operations and 38 emergency medical evacuations.
In Durban, NSRI Station 5 held a disaster drill at North Beach with the police, the South African Navy and the SANDF. The exercise acted out a plane crashing into the ocean.
The MRCC in Cape Town also serves the wider region. SAMSA said it became the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre for Southern Africa in 2007, covering Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar and the Comoros.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL. Image: IOL. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.