South Africa: Fleetwood, George Henry Harrison, St. Helena, Forfarshire & Umhlali shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Eduard Bohlen shipwreck in Namibia

September 15:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1846: Fleetwood, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked in Struisbaai in the Western Cape after its anchor cables parted.

1851: The strong south easterly gale that started on the 13th of September in the Eastern Cape raged on into this day, moving west, claiming a further two vessels, both in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape:

• George Henry Harrison, this wooden sailing schooner had been put into Plettenberg Bay to escape the storm on the 14th. However, whilst leaving the next morning, the remnants of the gale drove it ashore onto the rocks, where it wrecked.

• St. Helena, this wooden sailing schooner was also driven ashore close to, and in the same manner as the George Henry Harrison.

1864: Forfarshire, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked between Whale Rock and Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape. The captain had died from a lung ailment and the choice was made to head into the nearest port. They were not carrying any chart for Table Bay, which resulted in the vessel striking an unknown rock near Whale Rock and wrecking.

1909: Umhlali, this steel steam-powered passenger/cargo ship wrecked on Albatross Rock at Olifantsbos Point in the Western Cape. Reports on the number of casualties varies by newspaper, however, in the official enquiry it states that only one of the lifeboats capsized and all the passengers were rescued, except for a three-year-old boy.

1952: Mount Anderson, a SAA Douglas DC-3 (registration no. ZS-AVI) became lost due to faulty navigation between Livingstone airport in Zambia and Palmietfontein in Gauteng, with it crashing after its wheel struck a rocky outcrop at Carolina Airport, near Ermelo in Mpumalanga. Electrical storms created much radio interference and the captain had set an incorrect course with poor visual identifications being made en-route. A landing attempt was made at an unknown, unlit aerodrome (Carolina) with unknown altitude and the wheels struck a rocky outcrop on approach with the plane crash landing at the airport, suffering irreparable damage. All 19 on board the plane survived.

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South Africa: Courier, Anna, Mendeep, Stranger, Jane, Bender & Ocean Plume shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Otavi shipwreck in Namibia

August 27:

“This day in our shipwreck history”

1846: Courier, this wooden-hulled barque wrecked on the bar in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal whilst leaving the harbour. There was a westerly raging at the time and the captain insisted on leaving despite the Eliza, a vessel that drew less water than the Courier, already being stuck fast on the bar.

1868: Presumably heavy weather in East London in the Eastern Cape resulted in the disappearance of two vessels. Very little is known about these vessels and the events that resulted in their losses.

• Anna, a wooden surf boat; and

• Mendeep, a schooner.

1878: Stranger, this barque caught alight and was abandoned near Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape.

1888: Jane, the wooden-hulled barquentine wrecked during a south-easterly squall east of the Keurbooms River mouth near Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. The wreck now lies in a gully at the beach by the Forest Hall Estate.

1955: Bender, this steam-powered trawler (ex-whaler) wrecked on Tsitsikamma Point in the Southern Cape on the South Coast.

1995: Ocean Plume, this prawn fishing vessel capsized in heavy seas about 10 kilometres east of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal with the loss of its crew of eight.

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South Africa: Prince Albert, Enchantress, Charmer & Lyndhurst shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Benguela Eagle shipwreck in Namibia

August 24:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1844: Prince Albert, this wooden-hulled brig wrecked after its cables parted during a south-easterly gale in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape.

1849: Enchantress, this wooden-hulled schooner missed its stays off Green Point and anchored shortly after, but its cables parted, and it was driven onto the rocks where it wrecked between Green Point and Mouille Point in the Western Cape.

1877: Charmer, this British full-rigged wooden ship wrecked on Dyer Island in the Western Cape.

1911: Lyndhurst, this steel-hulled four masted barque’s cargo of petrol caught alight and it was abandoned at sea about 100 km from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape. Its floating wreck was scuttled on this day by the HMS Pandora as it posed a danger to navigation.

1974: An Emric Air Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander (registration no. ZS-IZZ) crashed on this day near Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal. Very little is known about this incident.

1998: An Airworld/Speed Service Couriers Turbo DC-3 (registration no. ZS-NKK) crashed during takeoff from Wonderboom airport in Gauteng resulting in the death of the pilot in command. The accident report found that there was no pre-flight inspection by the pilots and the elevator trim had been set to nose-up and not been returned to neutral by the maintenance engineer during an inspection. As a result, the pilot lost control of the aircraft during takeoff as the nose pitched up during a rotation movement.

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South Africa: Ariosto, Mabel Young & Athina shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

July 31:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1854: Ariosto, this American sailing barque wrecked on Back Beach in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.

The wreck of the Athina (1967) on a beautiful day

1879: Mabel Young, this sailing barque encountered a squall that threw it on its beam ends. It was abandoned in a sinking condition off Cape St. Francis in the Eastern Cape and is presumed to have foundered shortly after being abandoned.

An apparent painting of the ‘Mabel Young’ (1879) by J Mclachlan circa. 1877-79. This is not a verified painting, and it could be of another vessel

1967: Athina, this Greek trawler struck Whale Rock off the Robberg Peninsula near Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape and then found its final resting place just off Robberg Beach. It was later blown up by the Navy but the remains can be seen in the shallows, off the beach and during low tide it often protrudes out of the water. The wreck makes for a popular dive/snorkel site today and the beach is sometimes referred to as “wreck beach” because of its presence.

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South Africa: Primonguet, Sea Rover, Eaglet & Redbreast shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Gertrud Woermann wrecked near Swakopmund, Namibia

July 20:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1865: Primonguet, this French steam-powered ship wrecked on the rocks at Green Point in Table Bay in the Western Cape. 

1868: Sea Rover, this British sail-driven wooden barque wrecked after its cables parted in a south-easterly gale near East London in the Eastern Cape. 

1874: Eaglet, this sail-driven schooner wrecked on central beach in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape.

1878: Redbreast, this British wooden barque wrecked in a north-westerly gale on Woodstock Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

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South Africa: Nicobar, Fanny, Flora & William Bayley shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Fukuseki Maru No. 7 shipwreck in Namibia

July 11:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1783: Nicobar, this Danish East Indiaman was on its way from Copenhagen to the far east when it wrecked off Quoin Point in the Western Cape after encountering a north-westerly gale. Only 11 people survived. It was stripped at the time by local farmers after permission was given by the local Swellendam commandant, Jacob van Reenen. In 1987, two spear-fishermen found the remains whilst fishing. Today, its 12 cast iron cannons can still be seen at the site. 

1810: A storm off Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape resulted in the wrecking of two vessels: 

• Fanny, a wooden-hulled brig trading wood; and

• Flora, a wooden-hulled transport vessel 

1857: William Bayley, this wooden-hulled brig had to be run ashore after its cargo spontaneously combusted, and so it was wrecked in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. 

1985: A Beechcraft B58 Baron (registration No. 9Q-CJR) went missing on this day in severe weather between Robertson and Cape Town in the Western Cape. The pilot had lied about his instrument rating to Approach Control the previous day as he would not have been allowed to fly on visuals given the severe mist. It is assumed that the plane either crashed into a remote part of the mountains in the Western Cape between Robertson and Cape Town or that the pilot’s bearings were completely off, and the plane instead flew over the ocean and ran out of fuel before being able to make it back to land on visual flight alone. To this day, the location of the plane is unknown.

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South Africa: Elise & Evdokia shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Irmgard wreck in Luderitz, Namibia

June 12:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1879: Elise, this German schooner wrecked in a south westerly gale near Struisbaai in the Western Cape. 

1979: Evdokia, this Greek cargo ship was run aground to become a wreck, about 10 km east of the Storm’s River Mouth in the Eastern Cape. It had started taking on water when the decision was made to run it aground. Helicopters airlifted most of those on board to safety near Plettenberg Bay, but the captain and five officers remained on board to try and run it back to Algoa Bay. This was however unsuccessful, and the ship had to be run aground off Robbehoek, near the Storm’s River mouth. The six that remained on board lost their lives.

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South Africa: De African, Amatola, Shepherdess, Christina, America, Tordenskjold & Katsuei Maru 58 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

May 28:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1821: De African, this wooden Dutch sailing vessel was put into Table Bay in the Western Cape on the 8th of May as a result of having sprung a leak. On this day, the 28th, it was broken up and sold off.

1852: Amatola, this iron sailing schooner wrecked whilst trying to enter the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape. It was the first official casualty of the Buffalo River.

1859: Shepherdess, this wooden British barque sprang a leak and wrecked on Thunderbolt reef near Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape. Twelve people were lost during the wrecking.

1882: Christina, this wooden British/South African coasting schooner wrecked on Central beach in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. It struck a blinder, resulting in the loss of its rudder and holing its starboard bilge. It was run aground on Central beach where it was left high and dry and was later condemned.

1900: America, this steam-powered British barquentine was abandoned on Woodstock Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape, after a fire had broken out in the fore hold. Attempts to refloat it continued into August, but these were unsuccessful.

1930: Tordenskjold, this steam-powered British/South African whaler was scuttled just outside of Durban Harbour in KwaZulu-Natal. It had foundered 15 years earlier but was refloated.

1984: Katsuei Maru 58, this motor-powered Japanese fishing vessel ran aground and wrecked near Quoin Point in the Western Cape.

The image shows how quickly wrecks on the rocks can be broken up as it was captured in 1995, only 11 years after the Katseui Maru 58 (1984) wrecked

2022: A Beechcraft B200 King Air (registration no. ZS-PTE) failed to take off from a small 1 km long runway at the Lynedoch Private Airfield in the Western Cape, crashing into a duiker and a tree after skidding off the runway. The pilot attempted to takeoff twice, but reported that the uneven surface caused the aircraft to bounce resulting in both of these attempts being unsuccessful.

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South Africa: Holland, Sealkote, Kolstrop, Nailsea Meadow & Knudsen shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

May 11:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1786: Holland, this wooden Dutch sailing frigate attempted to enter False Bay by with a fleet of warships when it struck a reef at night and subsequently wrecked, near Olifantsbos on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. Eight lives were lost during the wrecking.

1877: Sealkote, this British vessel started leaking and was abandoned, presumably to have foundered, off Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. Very little is known about this vessel and the event.

1883: Kolstrop, this German brigantine struck a rock off Dyer island in the Western Cape at night and sank. All that were on board were picked up by the cutter Volunteer.

1943: Nailsea Meadow, this British freighter was torpedoed and sunk just before midnight by the German U-boat U-196 near Port St. Johns in the Eastern Cape.

The Nailsea Meadow (1943) undergoing sea trials

Two crew members were lost, but everyone else was picked up by the SAAF crash launch R6 and landed at East London the following day. The wreck of the Nailsea Meadow was discovered in 1997 during an expedition to find the legendary SS Waratah (1909) which was lost without a trace on a voyage between Durban to Cape Town in heavy seas.

The Submersible used by the team to visually identify the Nailsea Meadow (1943)

Emlyn Brown working with the National Underwater and Marine Agency and author Clive Cussler located an unknown wreck and initial scans of its profile led them to believe that it might be the SS Waratah.

One of the observed tanks on board the Nailsea Meadow (1943)

In 2001, after a visual survey using a submersible, it was declared that the wreck which they had hoped to be the famous SS Waratah (1909) was in fact the Nailsea Meadow.

A close-up of one of the tank's tracks on board the Nailsea Meadow (1943)

The wreck lies at around 117 m in depth with tanks and other equipment still visible.

1975: Knudsen, this motor-powered whaler was scuttled by the South African Navy off Durban off in KwaZulu-Natal.

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South Africa: Barbara Gordon, Brilliant, Cambusnethan, St Ebba, Amsterdam & Seal shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

May 5

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1853: Barbara Gordon, this British wooden sailing barque wrecked at midnight after striking a reef near the Ratel River mouth in the Western Cape. Five passengers and one of the crew drowned when a life raft capsized.

1880: Brilliant, this German brigantine (possibly a schooner) wrecked in a south-easterly gale on North End Beach in Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay the Eastern Cape.

1897: Cambusnethan, this British steel sailing barque was towed out of Algoa Bay on the 4th. In the early hours of the 5th, with a thick fog, the ship lost its way and struck the rocks at Woody Cape in the Eastern Cape. All except the captain abandoned ship. After three days, when it became clear the ship would be a total loss, he finally left.

1916: St Ebba, this British steam-powered whaler was driven ashore near Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape and wrecked with the loss of one life.

St Ebba (1916) shortly after wrecking

1975: Amsterdam, this motor-powered fishing vessel wrecked in the Gourits River in the Western Cape.

1983: Seal, this South African fishing vessel lost its anchor and foundered near Dana Bay in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.

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South Africa: Vivid, Dahomian, Border, George M Livanos, Bulwark & African Phoenix shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

April 1:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1860: Vivid, this wooden sailing schooner wrecked in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape.

1944: Dahomian, this British steam-powered merchant ship was torpedoed and sunk by U-852 near Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. The ship was en-route from New York to Cape Town with a general cargo including mail and 17 aircraft. Two crew members were lost with the survivors being picked up by the HMSAS Krugersdorp and HMSAS Natalia, who landed them at Simon’s Town.

1947: Border, this motor-powered coaster wrecked south of Port Nolloth at Naas Point on the west coast in the Northern Cape in dense fog. The wreck lies high and dry and can be accessed via the shipwreck 4x4 trail.

Although the Border (1947) is slowly rusting away, it is an interesting wreck to see and it is accessible without having to get underwater

1947: George M Livanos, this steam-powered freighter wrecked below the Greenpoint Lighthouse in Cape Town in the Western Cape. Its back broke quickly and fires broke out on board. Most of the cargo of wool and nickel was salvaged at the time.

The Border (1947) is not a particularly large vessel, but it is still something to behold, with its bow still standing proud

1963: Bulwark, this motor-powered coaster wrecked in dense fog west of Danger Point off Gansbaai in the Western Cape.

1979: African Phoenix, this motor-powered freighter was scrapped in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. Its hull was badly damaged about 650 km north-east of Mauritius, but it managed to make it to Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. Its cargo was delivered, and it was then taken to Durban where it was scrapped.

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South Africa: The Haerlem, Primmo Janetto, Susan, Blackaller, Jim Crow, Frances Bain, Wasp, Waif, Jan van Riebeeck shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

March 25:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1647: The Haerlem (Haarlem), this Dutch East Indiaman wrecked on Milnerton Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape. It was on a homeward bound journey with two other VOC vessels, the Olifant and the Schiedam, when sight of them was lost before entering Table Bay. After seeing an unfamiliar ship in its normal anchoring spot, the captain sent men by boat to investigate, but before they could return, a sudden south-easterly gale resulted in the Haerlem running aground on Milnerton beach. The Olifant’s Captain broke his arms and legs after falling violently in a boat whilst coming to inspect and assist the stranded Haerlem. One boat of the Haerlem also capsized in trying to reach the shore with one person drowning.

Fair sheet of Table Bay, dating to 1663, with the approximate position of the Haarlem wreck marked

Although its wrecking might seem like a normal wrecking for the South African coastline, because of all the cargo that was bound for Europe, not all of it could be transported back with the remaining fleet, so 62 of the crew stayed behind and setup camp to safeguard the cargo until another vessel could come and fetch them with the cargo. A fortified camp was built, and the ship’s junior merchant’s journal provided a day-to-day account of what occurred over the year and half that they made the Cape their home. The crew and cargo were picked up in August 1648, and with the descriptions of the journal indicating good resources and friendly people at the Cape, the notion was laid forward to construct a permanent refreshment station. The notion was passed and in 1651 Jan Van Riebeeck travelled to the Cape to establish it as a Dutch colony. This settlement eventually grew to be the modern-day city of Cape Town. Since 1995 several surveys have been undertaken in attempts to locate the wreck and the survivor camp, however it has not yet been located and may well have been eroded by time or covered by shifting sand dunes. Although, there has recently been a project by the African Institute for Marine & Underwater Research, Exploration & Education (AIMURE) that has made strides in trying to locate the wreck site under a SAHRA permit. 

1839: Primmo Janetto, this wooden sailing brig/brigantine was detained by HMS Columbine and broken up, in either False Bay or Table Bay. It was caught transporting enslaved people and was therefore detained. 

1846: A strong south-easterly gale claimed three ships around Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.

• Susan, a British wooden sailing barque. One man drowned during the wrecking. 

• Blackaller/Blankaller, a wooden sailing snow wrecked.  

• Jim Crow, a British wooden sailing schooner, which wrecked whilst its cargo was being unloaded. 

1849: Frances Bain, this wooden sailing barque wrecked in a south-easterly gale near Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.

1867: Wasp, this sailing schooner capsized in a south-easterly gale in rough waters at the breakwater in Table Bay in the Western Cape. Some reports suggest that all seven on board were lost. 

1874: Waif, this sailing brigantine wrecked in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape after her cargo caught fire.

1980: Jan van Riebeeck, this steam-powered naval destroyer was scuttled south of Cape Point off the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. It was scuttled as part of the first live missile firing exercise in South African waters using a South African Navy warship.

The scuttling of the SAS Jan Van Riebeeck (1980)

The first Durban built strike craft, SAS Jim Fouche, attempted to scuttle the SAS Jan van Riebeeck with a Skerpioen missile but the destroyer only sunk later after sustained gun fire.

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South Africa: Emu, Nepaul, Helmspey & Blomvlei shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

February 11:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1817: Emu, this sail-driven transport brig was the first vessel to attempt to enter Knysna Lagoon in the Western Cape, where it promptly wrecked. It was originally built as a merchant brig and was hired and equipped as an armed transport by the Royal Navy. After having been discharged from the Colony of New South Wales service, it was on its way home to be sold in England when it was damaged in a hurricane. It struck a rock in False Bay and foundered but was refloated and repaired in Simon's Town. The authorities decided to use it for running local errands after repairing it. It was dispatched to Plettenberg Bay to fetch a cargo of timber, with instructions that the captain was to chart the Knysna lagoon from a small boat before entering the area with the brig. A favourable wind and flat bar however tempted him to sail the brig into the lagoon, where a sudden contrary wind blew it onto the eponymous Emu rock. The crew managed to beach the brig, but the damage sustained meant that it was to become a wreck. Almost three months later, the HMS Podargus arrived to pick up the Emu’s cargo and crew and entered the lagoon, passing through the Knysna Heads safely.

1850: Nepaul, this British East Indiaman wrecked near the mouth of the Swart River at Sedgefield in the Western Cape. After a long journey returning from the East, the passengers and crew anchored on the southern African coastline to relax and enjoy the fine weather, in front of what is today, Sedgefield.

A depiction of the Nepaul (1850) caught on the rocks and being battered by the heavy seas. Drawing by an unknown artist

Shortly after returning from land, the weather turned, and a storm erupted. The Nepaul was driven onto the nearby rocks where it struck hard and wrecked. For more than three days, the passengers and crew held onto the remains of the ship. The few lifeboats that were launched were smashed to pieces on the rocks. In desperation, one of the crew tied himself to floating debris in an attempt to reach the shore, but he drowned.

A depiction of the two of the female passengers of the Nepaul (1850), Mrs Bell and Mrs Drago as well as Mrs Drago's two children, who were tied to the mast for safety, where they remained for three days until the weather calmed and they could reach the shore with the impromptu rafts. Drawing by an unknown artist

By the fourth day, the wind started to calm and with impromptu rafts made from the wreckage, a final attempt was made by all to reach the shore. Two more of the crew were washed from their rafts and drowned. From the 25 that were on board, in total three of the crew were lost with all the passengers being kept alive. The Meeding family, who owned the nearby farm Rugtevlei (that would eventually become Sedgefield), housed the survivors and took care of them before they left for Knysna to find passage on other vessels back to England. It is reported that one of the crew stayed on to work for the Meeding family.

A depiction of one of the impromptu rafts of the Nepaul (1850) being pulled to shore. Drawing by an unknown artist

The remains and cargo of the Nepaul were later sold with much of the furniture finding its way into local families and being passed down the generations. Its rudder and portholes were incorporated into the ‘Annie Benn’, a schooner built in Knysna. The ‘Anchor Café’ of Sedgefield (today the Forest Lodge) reportedly received its name from the anchor of the Nepaul which was moved there some years after the wrecking. The whereabouts of the anchor today are unknown.

1943: Helmspey, this British steam-powered merchant vessel was torpedoed and sunk south of Cape St Francis in the Eastern Cape.

The Helmspey (1943) in Vancouver, Canada, date unknown

U-516 struck it with a torpedo at 06:52 and fired a coup de grâce at 07:12. Of the 46 that were on board, four perished and the rest were picked up by a SAAF crash launch and landed at Algoa Bay. One more member of the crew perished from his injuries in hospital.

1966: Blomvlei, this motor-powered fishing vessel was scuttled off Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

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South Africa: Le Protie, Maria Smith, Hudson & Meliskerk shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

January 10:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1839: Le Protie, this wooden whaling brig wrecked near ‘Farmer Peck’s Farm’ at Strandfontein in False Bay in the Western Cape.

1858: Maria Smith, this sailing cutter wrecked at Hondeklip Bay in the Northern Cape. Very little is known about this vessel.

1886: Hudson, this British ship foundered about 190 km south of Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. Fifteen of the crew perished, and the one boat that had been launched managed to pick up ten survivors. They drifted for two and half days before they were picked up by the steamship German, which landed them at Plymouth on the 3rd of February.

1943: Meliskerk, this Dutch steam-powered freighter wrecked on a reef north-east of Port St Johns on the east coast in the Eastern Cape. It was a German built freighter, originally named the D.A.D.G. 76, and renamed the Cesario by the British after being claimed for reparations after World War I. Thereafter, the freighter was given to the Dutch who renamed it Meliskerk. Its next years were spent plying the Cape route. During World War II the captain was given strict instructions to keep close to the shore whilst travelling up the east coast of South Africa, on its passage to the Middle East to avoid strong currents and German U-boats.

The Meliskerk (1943) after having run aground, but before it exploded

Unfortunately, whilst hugging the coast it struck an uncharted reef which knocked a hole under the engine room. To prevent the freighter from sinking, it was beached on an apparently sandy beach just north-east of Port St Johns. The freighter lay there whilst a salvage permit was being prepared to salvage the 11 000 tons of war supplies on board, which consisted of ammunition, tanks, and three small planes. About 500 tons had been recovered when in the middle of one night the vessel exploded and disintegrated. According to witness accounts, the violence of the blast, most probably a result of a chemical reaction of friction from being run aground, was such that pieces of the freighter rained down on the nearby coastal villages and kraals. Most of the wreckage now lies in approximately 15 m deep water and it makes for a popular dive.

2011: Africa Charter Services Boeing 737-200 (registration no. ZS-SGX), this passenger jet was written off after, on this day, sustaining damage when it was accidentally reversed down an embankment at night, at Hoedspruit Airport in Limpopo.

Officials investigating ZS-SGX, whilst it is stuck in a ditch

Nearly 100 passengers had just disembarked, and the airplane was to return to Johannesburg with only three crew members on board. Whilst clearing for takeoff, the captain turned off the landing lights to avoid blinding an approaching aircraft and overshot the turning point of the taxiway to the runway in the darkness. Whilst turning around, the main wheels rolled off the taxiway and the airplane became stuck in a ditch.

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South Africa: NSRI Plettenberg Bay - Fatal shark incident

NSRI (Station 14 Plettenberg Bay)

30 June 2022

Fatal shark incident:

At 14h09, Tuesday, 28 June, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a shark incident involving a swimmer at Sanctuary Beach, Plettenberg Bay.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and 2 NSRI rescue craft were launched.

On arrival on the scene the body of an adult male, believed to be a local man, was located and recovered from the water, at the back surf line, onto an NSRI rescue craft and the body was brought to the NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue station.

An NSRI doctor, ambulance services and the SA police Services responded.

Sadly injuries sustained are fatal and the man was declared deceased by the doctor.

Family of the deceased man are in the care of Police and counsellors.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.

Bitou Municipality has closed beaches in Plettenberg Bay.

NSRI and Bitou Municipality are appealing to sea users - bathers, paddlers, sailors and boaters - in Plettenberg Bay and along the Southern Cape coastline to exercise caution following this fatal incident.

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South Africa: Legend Lodges Whalesong Hotel & Mountain View Lodge health journey

A once-in-a-lifetime Health experience awaits you at one of our beautiful destinations!

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10 - 12 SEPTEMBER 2021 & 17 - 19 SEPTEMBER 2021

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3 - 5 SEPTEMBER 2021 & 24 - 26 SEPTEMBER 2021

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Waterberg Region, Limpopo

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This package includes:

2 Night stay at Legend Mountain View Lodge or The Luxury Resort Villas | 3 Healthy Meals Daily | Game Drives | 9 Doctor's Tests & Assessments | Pilates Classes | Life Coaching Sessions | Personal Diet Compilation | Coaching on the 6 Pillars of Health

*Single Rates Apply.

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