The Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) teams spent a very busy weekend over the past few days, responding to nine call-outs.
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‘Rescue teams were called to assist with five incidents on Saturday and responded to four more on Sunday,’ says David Nel, WSAR spokesperson. ‘We’ve managed 107 incidents since 1 January, noticeably more than usual, and we once again thank our team members for their continued service and dedication to the outdoor communities in the Western Cape.’
‘The mountains have seen large numbers of outdoor enthusiasts taking advantage of the good weather this long weekend. We want to remind anyone venturing outdoors that the trails are still wet and slippery in places. Mind your footing and be careful on wet surfaces. We wish all our injured patients a full recovery.’
On Saturday, the team responded to a 61-year-old hiker who slipped and injured her ankle on the wet wooden boardwalk above Newlands Forest. ‘She was safely carried from the contour path in a stretcher and driven to hospital by ambulance. The team was assisted by SANParks – Table Mountain National Park rangers and members of Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS).’
On the same day, a mountain biker crashed above Tokai Forest while descending from the Constantiaberg Mast. ‘The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter flew the injured patient to a nearby landing zone, where he was transferred to a Netcare911 air ambulance and flown to hospital.’
Another mountain biker crashed on a trail in Durbanville, near Malanshoogte Road. She was safely carried to a nearby vehicle and driven to a waiting Netcare911 ambulance before being taken to hospital.
A 39-year-old hiker took a wrong turn while descending the India Venster hiking trail. ‘A team onboard the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to the scene and immediately spotted the stranded hiker standing on a football sized rock in the middle of a large cliff.’ One rescuer abseiled 30m down to the hiker and secured him in a safety harness, after which he was raised up the cliff via a rope system.
A foreign hiker who was reported missing after becoming separated from his group on Saturday afternoon was subsequently found safe on Lion’s Head.
On Sunday, teams responded to the trail runner who fell near De Villiers Reservoir on Table Mountain. He had reportedly slipped and fallen on a wet section of the trail, injuring himself.
Later, a pair of hikers were travelling from Franschoek to Du Toitskloof when one injured herself. Both were flown from the mountain to a landing zone near the Du Toitskloof Lodge.
Medical teams onboard the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter also responded to an incident where a biker had left the road in the Franschoek Pass. He was placed on a stretcher and flown via helicopter to a nearby landing zone, after which he was transferred to a waiting ambulance.
Late on Sunday, teams were placed on standby after a hiking party was reported lost on the Wemmershoek Traverse. The hikers reportedly lost their way, spending two extra nights looking for the trail before they contacted WSAR for assistance. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Emergency Medical Services Drone Unit assisted the WSAR team after the hikers continued on the Du Toitskloof Paas after missing a turn.
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Picture: Facebook / Wilderness Search And Rescue WSAR Western Cape
