Truck Driver Drowns After Side-Tipper Plunges into Sea at Port of Coega
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A truck driver has died after the side-tipper combination he was operating plunged into the sea at the Port of Coega in Gqeberha on Wednesday evening, 2 September 2026.
The incident occurred under circumstances that remain unknown and are under investigation. Videos circulating on social media show the aftermath, with the truck tractor (horse) and the first trailer fully submerged in the water while the second trailer remained partially visible above the surface.
According to information from witnesses, the driver was seen attempting to exit the vehicle after it entered the water. He reportedly struggled to break the cab window and was unable to free himself before rescue efforts could reach him. The driver drowned. His body was recovered from the water at around midnight.
Emergency services and recovery teams responded to the scene. At the time of the latest reports, recovery operations for the submerged portions of the vehicle were ongoing or incomplete.
It is believed the side-tipper was carrying a load of manganese, though this detail has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
Initial reports circulating shortly after the incident incorrectly stated that the driver had managed to escape the submerged cab and return to safety. Subsequent information from witnesses and those involved in the recovery established that this was not the case. The driver did not survive.
The Port of Coega (also known as the Port of Ngqura) is a major deep-water facility in the Eastern Cape handling bulk commodities and other cargo. The precise sequence of events that led the vehicle to leave the operational area and enter the sea has not been established. Authorities are investigating the cause.
No further details regarding the identity of the driver, the transport company involved, or any official statements from Transnet or port authorities were immediately available in public reports. The investigation into the circumstances of the incident continues.
Truck Driver Drowns After Side-Tipper Plunges into Sea at Port of Coega. More details in comments pic.twitter.com/lHLk9pVo0E
— PrimeTime News (@PrimeTimeNewsZA) September 3, 2026
This account is based solely on reported facts from contemporaneous coverage of the event.
KZN VIP ALS Medics Resuscitate Patient After High-Impact M19 Collision Near Dunkeld Road
A high-impact collision involving two vehicles and a motorcycle occurred on the M19 in the vicinity of the Dunkeld Road offramp shortly after 06:00 on Thursday morning, 3 September 2026. Multiple injuries were reported at the scene.
KZN VIP Emergency Medical Services responded and found several patients with injuries. After initial assessments, KZN VIP Advanced Life Support (ALS) medics and additional ambulance resources were dispatched to assist.
One patient was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. KZN VIP ALS medics initiated advanced resuscitation efforts. The resuscitation succeeded. The patient remained in a critical condition, was stabilised under advanced life support care, and was transported to a nearby medical facility for further management.
The remaining patients were assessed, treated, and stabilised on scene before transport to appropriate medical facilities.
Traffic on the M19 was severely affected during the morning peak while emergency services attended the collision. Traffic reports confirmed a crash scene on the M19 westbound between Reservoir Hills and the Dunkeld Road / Rodger Sishi Road area, with the scene later cleared.
The circumstances leading to the collision have not been confirmed.
KZN VIP Group contact details for emergencies: 24-hour control centre 031 502 3456; emergency WhatsApp 067 712 7976; email [email protected].
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