NSRI to lower flags in honour of fallen Australian rescue volunteers
The NSRI said it also serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by rescue volunteers around the world, including those in South Africa.
Maritime search and rescue organisations around the world will lower their flags to honour two Australian rescue volunteers who lost their lives while responding to a distress call at sea.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said that its flag at the Volunteer Support Centre in Milnerton, Cape Town, will be lowered to half-mast on Monday, with many rescue stations across South Africa expected to join the tribute.
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The gesture honours Bill Ewen (78) and Frank Petsch (62) of Marine Rescue NSW in Australia, who died on May 4 while responding to a yacht in distress near the South Ballina breakwall in New South Wales.
The two men were among six volunteers who launched in dangerous conditions to assist the stricken vessel.
Their rescue craft capsized while crossing the Ballina Bar in heavy seas. Four crew members survived the incident.
The tribute coincides with Ewen’s funeral and follows a call by the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) for maritime search and rescue organisations worldwide to lower their flags to half-mast in remembrance.
The IMRF represents more than 130 maritime rescue organisations globally, including the NSRI.
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“The passing of Bill and Frank is a profound loss to their families and loved ones, their Marine Rescue Ballina colleagues, and the global search and rescue community,” said NSRI chief executive officer Mike Vonk.
They answered the call to help a stranger, and they gave everything. We lower our flag in their honour.
While the tribute is focused on Ewen and Petsch, the NSRI said it also serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by rescue volunteers around the world, including those in South Africa.
“Our volunteers give up enormous amounts of time away from their families and loved ones to train, maintain their equipment, and be ready when people they have never met need them most,” said Vonk.
“This tribute is for Bill and Frank, but it is also for every NSRI volunteer, and every South African rescue volunteer, who puts others before themselves. We are deeply grateful to them and to their families.”
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The NSRI said the tribute reflects the close bonds shared by rescue organisations internationally and the common commitment among volunteers who place themselves in harm’s way to save the lives of others.