It takes a great man to brave the unknown, that’s swimming over 50 hours, contending storms and shifting currents, to afford others the chance to be safer in the water. François Bonnici is such a man.
Geneva, Switzerland (28 October 2025) – Even after leaving what he has always known in South Africa to explore the vast world beyond the borders, home never quite left François Bonnici’s heart – as it seldom ever does.
Growing up in Cape Town, François was initially a surfer, braving the cold Atlantic waves before discovering a different kind of thrill in open water swimming. He has completed several iconic swims, including crossing from Robben Island to Cape Town twice, solo and as part of a relay.
Now an expat living in Geneva, he recently channelled his love for open water swimming in a world-first swim to give back to rescue efforts back home.
François became part of a team that made history while raising vital funds for water safety in South Africa and Switzerland. The team achieved what no one had before: a two-way relay swim across Lake Geneva, swimming 144 kilometres over 50 hours and 37 minutes.
Starting at Château de Chillon near Montreux, the team swam day and night, contending with sudden storms, shifting currents, rain, and the exhaustion that came with it, as shared by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
“The first leg was glorious – sunshine and calm water. But on the way back, the lake showed its teeth,” François recalls.
But he pressed on to finish what’d started, not just for himself, but in support of the life-saving work NSRI does day in and out in South Africa.
“Being a doctor, I saw quite a few cases of drowning, and being a surfer, I actually was involved in quite a few rescues,” he says.
“It’s a very scary thing, and something so preventable.”
Drowning claims an estimated 300,000 lives worldwide every year. For François, supporting the NSRI was a natural choice.
The team of six swimmers: François, Alex Seeger (Germany), Dóra Sári (Hungary), Katie Glass (Canada), Kate Norton (UK), and Jonny Singh (UK), conquered the lake and exceeded their fundraising goal of about R220,000. Half of the money went to the NSRI, while the other half went to Swiss organisations focused on drowning prevention.
“The NSRI are one of the best organisations in the world, identified by the World Health Organisation as really having effective programmes,” shares François, who is also an NSRI monthly donor.
“It’s something that’s certainly close to me, having the personal experiences.”
We applaud these incredible swimmers who have done a truly good thing and, in the process, given others the chance to be safer in the water.
Sources: National Sea Rescue Institute
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