African nominations for international People’s Choice Award

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Four of the ten nominees for this year’s People’s Choice Award in the annual International Maritime Rescue Federation Awards (IMRF) represent African countries highlighting the impact that the continent has had in search and rescue over the past year.

The IMRF People's Choice Award is an annual recognition determined by you and the entire maritime SAR community. Voting, which is currently open to the public, closes on 22 November. The nominees include both individuals as well as organisations.

Agence Portuaire Maritime et Fluviale Madagascar has been nominated for their efforts have significantly improved inter agency communication and cooperation, setting a benchmark for future operations. Their dedication to saving lives, even in the most challenging circumstances, exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism

Dr Cleeve Robertson has volunteered with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) for 35 years, including 11 years as CEO until his retirement in August 2024. Under his leadership, the NSRI expanded its infrastructure, adding bases, increasing its fleet, and growing the volunteer team, significantly enhancing its life-saving capacity. The organisation now offers Survival Swimming training, innovative Survival Swimming Centres in shipping containers, Beach Safety Cameras, and Pink Rescue Buoys, which have helped rescue 184 individuals from drowning.

Laura has been a trailblazer, empowering women in the community to pursue a volunteer career in search and rescue, a field historically led by men. Her influence has helped break down gender barriers, inspiring a new generation of women to join the profession and make a meaningful impact. (Ascension Island is technically an overseas British Territory, but given it geographical position, we are claiming it as African)

Shee has been involved in rescue operations since 2016. With his initiative, he established the Disaster Response Team and trained its members to respond to maritime incidents along the Indian Ocean waters off the coast of Kenya, specifically in Lamu County. An example of one such mission is, after receiving a distress call from the MV Paradise near the Somalia coast, Shee participated in the rescue operation. This operation was cross-border, and Shee's coordinated response from Kenya provided crucial assistance to Somalia, which had limited response capabilities.

Other nominees include:

Augmented Reality & Mixed Reality Training Environment for SAR, Reval Safety Training, Estonia.

Captain Yang Hao, China Rescue and Salvage.

Holly Phillips, RNLI, United Kingdom.

Marine Rescue NSW App, Marine Rescue NSW, Australia.

PHOTO: Adobe Photostock

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