The NSRI’s newest JetRIB, an inshore rescue vessel, Janine, sponsored by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre (WCDMC), was blessed and named during a traditional ceremony on Saturday, 29 March, at the Yzerfontein Sea Rescue station.
The vessel, which will operate from Station 34, marks the sixth JetRIB donated to the NSRI by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre. All six vessels have been named in honour of women working at the WCDMC. This JetRIB is named after Janine Winder, Deputy Director of Mitigation.
Since 2015, the WCDMC has generously supported the NSRI by sponsoring rescue equipment, training, an all-terrain vehicle, and various water safety initiatives. The NSRI JetRIB is a cutting-edge inshore rescue vessel, resulting from a collaboration between the NSRI and Droomers Yamaha in 2019. With its water-jet propulsion, the JetRIB is more environmentally friendly than traditional two-stroke outboard engines. Its design eliminates the risk of propeller strikes, making it safer for both casualties and rescue swimmers.
The JetRIB won the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) award for Innovation and Technology in 2021 and has garnered international attention, with interest from countries as far afield as Norway, Iceland, and Ascension Island. It was used during the KZN and Overberg floods.
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