Two Participants Passed Away During Ironman South Africa in Mossel Bay
It has been confirmed that two participants in the swimming portion of the IRONMAN 70.3 in Mossel Bay died on Sunday, 16 November 2025.
Reports indicate that the two competitors, aged 29 and 58, were recovered from the water during the swimming segment of the triathlon. They were both identified as men.
According to available information, the athletes were reportedly rushed to the hospital when the incident occurred. One was declared dead shortly after arrival, while the second competitor succumbed to his condition later that morning.
The unfortunate incident comes just days after an Australian runner collapsed and died while jogging along Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard, and months after the death of South African professional kite surfer Graham Howes at sea, also in Cape Town.
Ironman SA confirms the deaths
Ironman South Africa confirmed the incident involving the two athletes.
In a statement shared on social media, organisers confirmed that both athletes, who were competing in the IRONMAN 70.3, died after encountering difficulties during the swim leg. Safety personnel responded to two separate emergencies about 15 minutes apart, with one athlete retrieved roughly 400 metres into the swim and the other at around 1,000 metres.
Both individuals were taken to an extraction point for immediate medical attention before being transported to a nearby hospital, where they were later declared dead.
The organisers expressed their condolences to the athletes’ families, friends, and loved ones, saying the entire triathlon community mourns their loss. They added that support would continue to be offered to the bereaved families during this difficult time and extended their gratitude to the medical teams for their efforts.
Police provide update on IRONMAN tragic incident
Southern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies confirmed that the two men were pulled from the water in Mossel Bay at around 7:40.
He also confirmed that the police have opened two inquest dockets to determine the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident. Post-mortem examinations are expected to take place during the course of the week. At this stage, authorities do not suspect any foul play.
Here is what social media users are saying concerning the tragic incident at the Ironman event in Mossel Bay.
Paul Kaye said:
"Brutal. Beyond sad. My condolences to the family and friends."
Beate van Loo-Born wrote:
"Geez … 🙄 this should not happen - while I dont know the details of this particular incident, I do know that SA is a proper ocean swim not suitable for everyone (I’ve raced raced in PE 3 times) - I have been asking myself if those races should come with an additional swim requirement at the point of registration(like the. T100). Changing conditions can be hard to deal with in the water, and incidents like this are also tragic for those who are responsible for ensuring the athlete's safety … and ultimately fail…"
Devashish Paul shared:
"So horrible to hear. Hugs to family members. By the way, at Marbella, there was no opportunity to warm up that I was aware of. That's generally not a great thing."
Janet Gibson commented:
"So very sad to hear of the passing of someone from our Ironman family. My thoughts and prayers are with families and friends, and also the Ironman community 🙏💔."
John Cox reacted:
"Absolutely devastating, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family … such a tragedy … no words 🙏🙏."
Mandla Nxumalo added:
"This is so sad, this is one event I want to do and now this 😭😭 Condolences to the families of the departed athletes."
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Source: Briefly News
