What began as a celebratory birthday hike on the iconic Table Mountain quickly turned into a dramatic rescue operation when a 22-year-old visiting hiker from China found herself stranded after daylight faded too early, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The young woman was hiking near the Fountain Ledge scramble section of the popular India Venster route on Saturday when she became disoriented and unable to navigate safely in the dark.
As dusk settled upon the mountain, the hiker recognised her precarious situation. With only 5% battery left on her mobile phone, she made the wise decision to call for help, although she struggled to provide her exact GPS location.
Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) spokesperson, David Nel, detailed the efforts that followed her call, explaining that rescuers were able to identify a potential search area based on the limited information she provided.
The swift response was aided immensely by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, which played a crucial role in ferrying rescuers and equipment to the site of the incident.
‘Many people haven’t considered just how different rescue on Table Mountain would look without the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. The ability to move rescuers, medics and technical equipment rapidly onto the mountain saves an enormous amount of time and energy during critical incidents,’ Nel affirmed.
After extending their operations beyond regular hours, the cableway staff transported the rescue teams into the approaching night. During the ascent, rescuers paused the cabin and called out into the darkness.
To their relief, the stranded hiker answered, allowing them to narrow down her location.
A small team then descended from the upper cable station, swiftly reaching the hiker, who was cold but, thankfully, unharmed.
The responders provided her with warmth in the form of a jacket and a head torch, ensuring she was safe and equipped for the return journey to the upper cable station.
The successful operation concluded at approximately 9:47pm on the same night.
Nel praised the tireless efforts of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, highlighting the ongoing support they provide to WSAR in challenging situations: ‘Time and time again, the cableway teams quietly go above and beyond, often staying long after operational hours, to help rescuers reach people in need,’
He further reiterated the significance of the partnership between WSAR and the cableway, stating that it has become an invaluable element of mountain safety on Table Mountain.
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Picture: WSAR Western Cape / Facebook
