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HRH Prince William Visits NSRI Simon’s Town Sea Rescue Station

Cape Town, Friday, 8th November 2024: Capping off what has been evident as an eventful and successful Earthshot 24 week, that focused on environmental sustainability, on the fourth and final day of HRH Prince William’s visit to Cape Town, Thursday, 7th November, the NSRI’s Simon’s Town Patti Price Sea Rescue station 10 accommodated Prince William, where the Prince met with NSRI’s CEO Mike Vonk and NSRI rescue crew volunteers before NSRI transported the Prince across False Bay to Kalk Bay Harbour, from Simon’s Town Harbour, aboard the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 10, Donna Nicholas, accompanied by the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 10 Alpha, Jack&Irene, where the Prince attended the social enterprise, Earthshot finalist Abalobi, and the local fishing community.

On the visit to NSRI Simon’s Town Prince William received a tour of the NSRI Simon’s Town rescue base and then boarded the NSRI’s 15-meter offshore rescue craft (ORC) Donna Nicholas, where, during the voyage, Prince Willam experienced the power of Cape Town’s gale-force southeasterly winds firsthand.

The Prince’s deep connection to rescue operations was evident during his visit to NSRI. With extensive experience himself, as a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot for the Royal Air Force and later as an air ambulance pilot, Prince William has undertaken 156 search and rescue operations, contributing to saving 149 lives. This background provided a unique perspective as Prince William joined the NSRI volunteers on the voyage from Simon’s Town to Kalk Bay Harbour.

NSRI CEO Mike Vonk shared his impressions of the Prince’s visit to NSRI:
“Given the Prince’s background in search and rescue, he appeared naturally interested in our rescue operations. He was eager to meet our volunteers and understand both what they do and why they choose to volunteer.”
Vonk continued, “He showed particular interest in our NSRI SafeTrx App and the preventive safety measures we have in place for water users.”
“His Royal Highness has a ‘Learn to Swim’ program as part of his foundation, and he was very keen to learn about our Survival Swimming program and water safety education,” Vonk added.
Reflecting on the visit, Vonk remarked, “It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of the NSRI, and his genuine interest in what our volunteers do was truly special. It was a fantastic visit. You could tell he is a people person—he was sincerely engaged in the work of our volunteers.”

The Earthshot Prize—launched in 2020 by the Royal Foundation and spearheaded by Prince William—is a prestigious global initiative aimed at fostering innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

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