Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002)Chapter 4 : Law Enforcement Powers of Defence Force at Sea28. Warships or military aircraft of Defence Force to render assistance |
| 1) | Subject to subsection (2), a warship or military aircraft of the Defence Force must— |
| a) | render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost; |
| b) | proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress at sea, if informed of their need for assistance, in so far as such action may be reasonably expected of such warship or aircraft; or |
| c) | after a collision at sea, render assistance to the other ship, its crew and passengers, and where the collision involves the warship, if possible, inform the other ship of its name, its flag state and the port at which it will call. |
| 2) | A warship or military aircraft may only render assistance or proceed to the rescue as contemplated in subsection (1), if— |
| a) | it can be effected without serious danger to the warship or military aircraft, its crew and its passengers; and |
| b) | in times of armed conflict, it can be effected without serious prejudice to an operation in which the warship or military aircraft is engaged at the time. |