Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) was called into action to assist several hikers in five separate incidents in recent days.
Also read: WSAR rescues elderly hikers during busy weekend on Cape mountains
The first saw a small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter flown to Dassieshoek Nature Reserve near Robertson on Monday afternoon after a hiking group reported that one of their members had fallen and was unable to continue.
The group of eight hikers were roughly three hours into their two-day hike when a 35-year-old hiker slipped on a wet section of the trail next to the river.
Once on scene, rescuers assessed and treated the injured hiker before helping her into a rescue harness.
She was hoisted up into the helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone before being transferred to an ambulance and driven to hospital.
On Tuesday afternoon, members of WSAR helped guide a 26-year-old hiker back to the path after he lost his way while descending West Peak above Somerset West.
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According to the hiker, a section of the trail was damaged in the recent storms and he battled to find the correct trail down.
After traversing a steep cliff and realising that it was no longer safe to proceed, he decided to call the emergency number: 021 937 0300.
He was asked to immediately retrace his steps.
Following the telephonic guidance of a rescuer who is familiar with the area, he was directed back to the path and monitored until he was safely off the mountain at 6:25pm.
Later, a 39-year-old foreign hiker and his partner called for help when it became clear that they were not able to continue their hike.
A German-speaking team member interviewed the pair before dispatching WSAR teams to meet the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway lower cable station.
According to the pair, they had been hiking for seven hours and it quickly became apparent that the gentleman was suffering from the effects of dehydration.
A small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to locate and rescue the stranded pair.
The crew spotted the pair near Echo Valley.
Two rescuers were hoisted down to a point close to the hikers. The two hikers were helped into rescue harnesses before being hoisted into the helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone.
The dehydrated patient was transferred to a waiting ambulance and driven to hospital.
In the fourth incident, a father and his two sons called the emergency number after they lost their way above The Staples while descending the India Venter hiking trail on Table Mountain on Tuesday evening.
They were guided back to the trail telephonically, and monitored until they were safely off the mountain.
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The fifth rescue saw WSAR team members placed on standby after receiving reports that a 47-year-old foreign mountain biker had fallen while descending a trail on Oldenburg Vineyards in the Banhoek Valley outside Stellenbosch, Western Cape.
He was driven down the mountain in a private vehicle, where he was assessed by medics before being transferred to an ambulance and driven to hospital.
‘We’re starting to see an increase in the number of calls for help,’ said WSAR spokesperson David Nel. ‘We want to remind everyone that sections of the trails may still be wet, slippery and damaged, and we urge all outdoor enthusiasts to take care when heading outdoors.
‘We would like to wish our patients a speedy recovery.’
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Picture: Wilhemien du Toit / WSAR