Dedicated teams of professionals and volunteers from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) were activated last Thursday afternoon to assist SAPS and WPDS in the recovery of the body of a hiker who had fallen above Boyes Drive.
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The patient was located using a drone from the Western Cape Government-Health Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Drone Unit.
When the location of the patient was determined, team members hiked up to the scene.
The deceased was placed on a stretcher, and the Terra Tamer, a high-tech all-terrain wheel, was attached to the stretcher, allowing teams to carry the body down the mountain quickly.
Once off the mountain, the victim’s body was transferred to forensic pathology.
According to a WSAR spokesperson, David Nel, the Terra Tamer is a game changer for both rescues and body recovery.
‘Stretcher carries require fewer team members, and we’re able to move significantly faster, even in challenging technical terrain,’ he said.
He added, ‘The purchase of this piece of equipment would not have been possible without the generous donations made by members of the public.’
On behalf of himself and WSAR, Nel expressed heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family and friends.
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Picture: Brent Russel and Grant Duncan-Smith / Wilderness Search and Rescue