Four men were rescued from a boat that became stranded on the edge of the Grootdraai Dam in Mpumalanga, South Africa, on Monday after the vessel suffered motor failure and drifted towards the spillway. The boat was left dangling over a 130ft (40m) drop as millions of gallons of water thundered over the dam wall.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NRSI) dispatched crews to the scene after receiving reports of the stranded boat. Dramatic drone footage captured the moment the men clung to the vessel to avoid being washed over the edge, as the boat listed with its bow hanging over the precipice.
In a statement, the NRSI said disaster was averted by quick-thinking dam employees who opened sluice gates on the spillway, creating a vacuum that held the boat in place long enough for rescuers to reach the men.
Using a throw line, the four men were recovered from the water uninjured. The NRSI confirmed no one was hurt in the incident.
