The South African Air Force (SAAF) received a request for sea rescue assistance from the South African Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to rescue 13 people who were on-board a rubber duck boat that capsized between Clifton beach and Oudekraal in Cape Town. The Chief of the SAAF, Lieutenant General Zimpande Msimang has since authorised 22 Squadron, based at Air Force Base (AFB) Ysterplaat to join other sea rescue entities involved in the joint sea rescue efforts.
A SAAF Oryx helicopter crew (Major Juan-Pierrie du Preez - pilot, Major Tebogo Selepe - Co-pilot and Warrant Officer Gerard Usher - Flight engineer), managed to rescue two survivors and brought them to safety. The remaining people who were on-board the ill-fated inflatable boat are still unaccounted for and a joint sea and land rescue mission is ongoing to locate them.
We wish the rescue Search and Rescue teams all the best and hope for a positive outcome to this horrific situation.
