On Saturday, 22 April, NSRI Oyster Bay, NSRI Eerste River, NSRI Storms River, NSRI Gariep, NSRI St Francis Bay and NSRI Jeffreys Bay were in the middle of an NSRI Eastern Cape training exercise when Tsitsikamma National Parks and the NSRI team were alerted to a serious injury on the Otter Trail near the shoreline.
Also read: Search continues after American woman disappears in Higgovale
According to an NSRI report of the incident, the hiker’s party initially stayed with her but eventually had to leave her alone as they raced against developing fog conditions to reach their next camp.
NSRI immediately halted the training exercise and dispatched four NSRI rescue craft: JLT Rescuer, Spirit of Tsitsikamma, Rescue 36 Alpha and Rescue 37 Alpha.
The injured hiker was located 14km from the Storms River Mouth, in a westerly direction, close to the shoreline.
Rough seas with 4- to 5-metre swells made it impossible to deploy rescue swimmers from the seaside to reach the patient when the NSRI rescue craft arrived on the scene.
Meanwhile, a SA National Parks off-road vehicle was dispatched from the land side to assist with the rescue, crewed by Tsitsikamma National Park rangers, who are also NSRI crew, and crewed by additional NSRI rescue personnel (all as part of the earlier rescue training exercise).
To reach the injured female, the land-side rescue team hiked 4 kilometres across difficult terrain, navigating barely accessible terrain, slippery conditions, steep inclines and developing fog.
They reached the patient within an hour and have been praised for their efforts.
During this time, NSRI commanders communicated with the patient via cell phone, assuring her as the rescue crew approached her location. The rescue effort was further complicated by foggy conditions.
A group of public members and other hikers on the trail had reached her location by that point in their hike, and they are thanked for their assistance.
When the NSRI crew and Tsitsikamma Park rangers arrived at the injured hiker, they discovered her in good spirits despite her serious condition and treated her injuries.
The Western Cape Government Health EMS Metro Control activated the EMS/AMS Skymed rescue helicopter, and Private Care Ambulance Services dispatched an ambulance to the Storms River Mouth campsite to stand by.
Rescue paramedics were winch-hoisted close to the scene when the rescue helicopter arrived, where they continued to provide medical treatment and further stabilise the patient.
A landing zone was established at the Storms River Mouth campsite; the helicopter returned to the scene to airlift the patient after she was stabilised and secured in a Stokes basket stretcher, and she was transported by air to the campsite.
The injured woman was then transferred to a waiting ambulance and taken to the hospital in a serious but stable condition under the care of paramedics.
According to NSRI, the hiker is doing well in the hospital.
NSRI applauded all parties involved for their quick and coordinated response during this difficult rescue mission.
Also read:
Pictures: WSAR saves extreme sportsman in an all-night epic rescue
Picture: Michael van den Bergh