A truck driver went to work on Wednesday morning and never made it home after the truck he was driving plunged into the sea at the Port of Ngqura, near Gqeberha.
What followed was a heartbreaking recovery operation that ended with the driver’s body being retrieved from the water after the truck was eventually hoisted from the sea.
The incident happened at the port, commonly referred to as Coega Port, shortly after 17:30 on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
According to information received, the driver was inside the cab when the truck entered the water and became trapped.
Witnesses reportedly saw him attempting to escape from the submerged truck, but he was unable to break through the cab window.
The situation was further complicated by dangerous conditions at sea.
According to information from the sea rescue operation, conditions were considered too dangerous for divers to enter the water and attempt a direct recovery of the driver.
Instead, a technical recovery operation was carried out to lift the truck from the water.
Video footage circulating online shows the heartbreaking moment the truck is hoisted from the sea. As the vehicle emerges from the water, the driver’s body falls through the windscreen and back into the water.
The footage has since circulated widely on social media.
SA Trucker has chosen not to publish the graphic recovery footage, out of respect for the deceased and his family.
The driver’s body was subsequently recovered from the water and brought ashore.
The truck involved was a side-tipper combination, with the horse and first trailer seen submerged in videos from the scene while the second trailer remained above the water.
It is believed the truck was transporting manganese.
The circumstances that led to the truck entering the water remain unclear. Police have opened an inquest docket, according to reports, as investigations into the incident continue.
For the trucking community, the incident is a painful reminder that behind every truck on the road is a person trying to make a living and provide for those waiting at home.
The driver left home to do his job. Tragically, he would not return.
Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends, colleagues and everyone who knew him.
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