The truck and the body of its driver have been recovered following Wednesday evening’s dramatic incident at the Port of Ngqura, where a truck went over the quay side and into the water.
The Coastal Water Rescue (CWR) squad was activated at 18:07 on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, after the Water Rescue Committee received a report that a truck had gone over the quay side with the driver still inside the cab.
NSRI Station 6 responded with its rescue craft, Rescue 6A, while Crash Towing was tasked with recovering the truck.
On arrival, the first CWR members found the truck hanging over the edge of the quay.
The front skip, which was loaded with manganese ore, had come off the trailer and was presumed to be at the bottom of the port. The rear trailer, also loaded with manganese ore, remained on the quay.
The cab, meanwhile, was fully submerged at approximately five metres below the surface.
Due to the dangerous conditions, swimmers could not attempt a free dive to the submerged cab. Port personnel also requested that the CWR swimmers remain at the quay side because numerous rescue personnel and workers were continuously operating close to the water’s edge.
The truck was subsequently hoisted from the water, while the driver’s body was recovered from the water by NSRI Rescue 6A.
The CWR squad stood down from the scene at approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 3 September.
The recovery brings a tragic end to the search for the driver, who was inside the cab when the truck entered the water.
The exact circumstances that caused the truck to go over the quay side remain unclear.
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