Rescue South Africa sends rescue team to Mozambique amid devastating floods
In a show of regional solidarity and humanitarian commitment, Rescue South Africa has dispatched a specialist swift water and aviation rescue team to Mozambique, responding to a formal appeal from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
This deployment comes as the region grapples with a severe flooding emergency that has displaced thousands and threatened the safety of countless lives.
It also follows engagement with South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), which confirmed that no additional domestic emergency support was required at this time, allowing Rescue South Africa to make its resources available for international humanitarian assistance.
“The mission is being conducted under the South African flag, in alignment with national coordination frameworks and international humanitarian response protocols. The response is further strengthened through collaboration with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Nelson Mandela University, contributing academic expertise and technical support to enhance operational readiness,” explained Rescue South Africa.
Connor Hartnady leads the deployed team, a multidisciplinary group of specialists, together with Travis Trower, Dr Dagmar Muhlbauer Roets, Bradley Hatfield, Francois Pretorius, and Xavier Millar, bringing extensive experience to this critical response.
“Rescue South Africa remains committed to prioritising domestic response when required, while standing ready to support neighbouring states in times of crisis. This deployment reflects South Africa’s continued contribution to regional stability and humanitarian cooperation,” Rescue South Africa said.
UJ Health and Medical Professions said the team landed in Maputo on Wednesday morning and started coordinating with their sub-task teams.
“Due to the vast area that will be covered during the rescue operation, the majority of it will be covered by helicopter hoisting. Over half a million people are affected by severe floods, leaving many stranded on rooftops across settlements waiting for help to arrive,” UJ Health and Medical Professions said.
“The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has reported that road infrastructure and healthcare facilities have seen widespread damage, leaving citizens dependent on external humanitarian relief.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed a search and rescue team consisting of an Oryx helicopter of the South African Air Force to assist in the search operation in Mozambique due to severe inclement weather.
The aircraft, which landed in Maputo, was set to operate in cooperation with various emergency rescue teams and disaster management agencies of Mozambique as part of Operation CHARIOT. More air assets were scheduled to be deployed from South Africa to assist in the rescue mission.
Major Lebogang Phakathi said that Mozambique is currently experiencing one of its worst flooding disasters, triggered by heavy rains that began in mid-December last year and intensified in early January.
Phakathi said severe damage has occurred in Mozambique’s southern and central provinces, including areas like Maputo, Gaza, and Zambezia. These have been among the hardest-hit regions, leading to the destruction of crops, major infrastructure damage, and the displacement of thousands of families.
“The main mission of the SA Air Force is to conduct search and rescue (SAR) operations and provide humanitarian assistance in response to flood-related disasters in the affected southern and central parts of Mozambique,” Phakathi said.
On Tuesday, one Oryx, a medium-lift helicopter, and two A109 Agusta light utility helicopters were deployed on an aerial reconnaissance mission to assess the extent of the damage and locate stranded civilians in the Palmeira area, in the Maputo province.
“Despite adverse weather conditions, SA Air Force Aircrews executed successful rescue operations and managed to evacuate a total of 224 individuals from the flooded area to safety,” Phakathi said.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za