A potentially fatal incident at Grootdraai Dam ended in a successful late-night rescue after a ski-boat became trapped on the edge of the dam wall, leaving four men clinging to the vessel as water surged over the spillway. The incident occurred on Monday evening, 29 December 2025, after the boat reportedly suffered mechanical failure and drifted uncontrollably toward the dam wall.
Emergency services from multiple agencies responded, but heavy water flow and the boat’s dangerous position initially prevented rescuers from reaching the occupants. In an effort to stabilise conditions, the Department of Water and Sanitation opened sluice gates to divert water away from the spillway, a decision later credited as a critical life-saving intervention.
@independent This is the moment four men were rescued from boat at it teetered precariously on the edge of a 130ft drop off the side of a dam. National Sea Rescue Institute (NRSI) crews were dispatched to the Grootdraai Dam in Mpumalanga, South Africa, on Monday (29 December) after the boat suffered motor failure and drifted toward the edge of the spillway as millions of gallons of water thundered over the side of the dam wall.
♬ original sound - Independent
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) launched a rescue craft from three to four kilometres upstream. The crew, led by station commander and coxswain Travis Clack, navigated unfamiliar terrain under extreme risk, making split-second tactical decisions as strong winds and turbulent water threatened the operation. A throw line was passed to the men at the last possible moment, preventing them from being swept over the dam wall.
Using a life buoy and throw line, rescuers slowly pulled the men approximately 50 to 60 metres away from the edge and safely brought all four aboard the rescue vessel. The operation was completed at 22:09, with all four men rescued unharmed. While the boat remains lodged on the dam wall, rescuers emphasised that lives were saved in what the NSRI described as an exceptional rescue under extreme conditions.