South Africa’s swimming community is heartbroken over the sudden passing of John Flanigan, a truly legendary open-water swimmer who was 80 years young.
Just last month, John made headlines by becoming the oldest man ever to conquer the challenging 7.5 km swim from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand—a remarkable achievement that filled everyone with admiration and pride.
On Saturday morning, as he often did, John was out on his sea kayak near Bloubergstrand, heading out to say hello to a group of swimmers during their regular session. Tragically, he was found unresponsive in the water.
Fellow swimmers and a kind stand-up paddleboarder rushed to help, and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) team quickly arrived on scene. They brought him aboard their rescue craft, started CPR right away, and continued efforts all the way to shore at Small Bay. Paramedics joined in, but despite everyone’s best attempts, John could not be revived and was sadly declared deceased.
The exact circumstances are still being looked into, but it’s clear the open-water world has lost a highly respected figure who lived passionately by the sea.
Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends, and the entire swimming community during this tough time.