Two Tanzanian men have been rescued off shore of Zinkwazi beach, on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, after being thrown from a Chinese vessel which was leaving the Durban harbour.

The foreigners were rescued on Monday evening after spending three days adrift after they were found as stowaways by crew. 

According to Paul Herbst, director of operations at IPSS Medical Rescue, the men were severely assaulted before being thrown into the sea after the boat left the harbour. 

Herbst said the foreigners were trying to make their way to Europe and had been living in SA illegally.

The men were given a life jacket each and makeshift raft constructed out of crates. 

The men told medics that they were accused of having coronavirus before being thrown from the ship. 

The men were taken to Stanger Hospital for further care and for Covid-19 screening. 

KwaDukuza chief fire officer, Nonthlanthla Mkwanazi, said the department received the call at 6pm and said the men were in a stable condition. 

According to information he received, the men boarded the ship on Wednesday and were thrown overboard on Thursday.