Three crew members recovered after an incident off Mossel Bay
South Africa’s transport department said three people had died and two remained missing after a September 30 maritime emergency off Mossel Bay.
Event / data period: 2026-09-30
Published: · Updated:
South Africa’s Department of Transport issued an October 4 update on a September 30 incident involving the emergency towing vessel uMkhuseli off Mossel Bay. It said the vessel experienced a man-overboard emergency about 40 nautical miles offshore in bad weather, and a fast rescue boat sent to assist later capsized in rough seas.
Three bodies had been recovered and two people remained missing. The report refers to different vessel crews and does not fully reconcile how the four-person rescue-boat crew relates to the total of three recovered and two missing. The figures are reported as stated without inferring a final combined headcount. Search resumed after a weather-related pause, and the maritime authority said it would begin a preliminary investigation. No final cause was established.
Data
Counts in the Mossel Bay rescue update
South African Department of Transport update dated October 4.
- People reported recovered deceased
- 3 count
- 2026-10-04 · Observed
- People still reported missing
- 2 count
- 2026-10-04 · Observed
- Crew aboard the capsized fast rescue boat
- 4 count
- 2026-09-30 · Observed
Methodology
The source describes crews on different vessels without fully reconciling the counts; no aggregate headcount or cause is inferred.
Updated:
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