WSAR had another busy weekend, with no fewer than six hikers rescued in various parts of the city. Their efforts saw them come to the aid of several hikers, including an injured 74-year-old who needed to be carried from the East Fort hiking trail.
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In the first incident of Friday afternoon, rescuers responded to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Lower Cableway Station after an 18-year-old hiker lost his way while hiking up Table Mountain.
The hiker had set out from the lower cable station at lunchtime, intending to climb the India Venster hiking trail.
He battled to follow the trail after the recent fires and called the emergency number when he found himself stranded on a steep and loose slope.
Rescuers hiked up to a point above the hiker and carefully scrambled down to him.
He was assisted back up to the trail and guided back down the mountain.
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Rescue teams were also dispatched to Tafelberg Road below Table Mountain after a 26-year-old hiker fell while descending the Platteklip Gorge hiking trail on Saturday morning.
A small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter were flown to the scene and hoisted down to a point close to the injured hiker.
He was assessed by a Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness paramedic before being assisted into a rescue harness and hoisted up to the helicopter.
He was flown to a nearby landing zone, transferred into a waiting ambulance, and driven to hospital.
Then, rescuers were dispatched to assist a 32-year-old Australian hiker near Maclear’s Beacon on Saturday afternoon after she stepped awkwardly and injured her ankle.
The hiker and her partner had hiked up Platteklip Gorge on Saturday morning, intending to hike across the mountain and descend into Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.
Realising that she was not able to continue, the pair called the emergency number. A small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to the scene and hoisted down to a point close to the injured hiker.
She was assessed by a Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness paramedic before being assisted into a rescue harness and hoisted up to the helicopter.
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She was flown to a nearby landing zone, transferred into a waiting ambulance, and driven to hospital.
On Sunday morning, rescuers responded to Chapman’s Peak Drive after a 74-year-old hiker slipped and injured his ankle while descending the East Fort hiking trail.
He was treated on scene before being helped into a stretcher and carried down to the parking area.
Rescuers helped him into a vehicle before a family member drove him to hospital.
Later on Sunday, teams were dispatched to Newlands Forest after a trail runner reported that a hiker had fallen from a section of the contour path.
According to the trail runner, the 68-year-old hiker had stepped awkwardly while crossing a bend in the trail and tumbled roughly seven metres down into a rocky gully.
Once on scene, rescuers climbed down to the injured hiker.
He was treated by a paramedic and helped into a rescue stretcher.
Rescue teams carefully raised the injured hiker back to the trail.
Using the Cascade Rescue Company terrain-taming stretcher wheel, rescuers quickly carried him to a waiting vehicle.
He was driven down the jeep track back to the Newlands Forest parking area, transferred to an ambulance and driven to hospital.
In the final incident, the WSAR was called to assist a 63-year-old Dutch hiker after he stepped awkwardly and injured his ankle on Smuts Track high above Newlands.
The family of four visiting hikers had caught the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway cable car to the top of Table Mountain earlier on Sunday.
They intended to walk across the mountain and down into Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in time to watch the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts performance.
A small team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter was flown to the scene and hoisted down to a point close to the injured hiker.
He was assessed by a Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS paramedic before being assisted into a rescue harness and hoisted up to the helicopter.
He was flown to a nearby landing zone, transferred into a waiting ambulance, and driven to hospital.
‘We’ve had a busy start to the year and this weekend was no different, with rescue teams responding to six incidents,’ said David Nel, a spokesperson for WSAR.
‘We want to remind all wilderness enthusiasts that we have teams of dedicated rescuers ready to respond to wilderness emergencies.’
‘Avoid attempting to self-rescue after an incident, as this may lead to more serious injuries.’
‘Don’t wait, call us sooner – 021 937 0300.’
‘We thank the many passionate rescuers for their continued dedication to wilderness rescue in the Western Cape.’
‘We wish all of our patients a swift recovery’, said Nel.
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Picture: Nicholas Ashby / Facebook