Drone helps rescue hikers and steer them to safety away from dangerous cliff in Cape Town

There’s a new hero in town – a drone that was used by the Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) team in the Western Cape (WC), to guide two beginner hikers to safety after they found themselves stranded on a challenging trail, near a “perilous cliff”!

The dedicated rescue team of WSAR professionals and volunteers, along with the drone, had been dispatched to find and rescue the stuck hikers who had been descending Porcupine Ravine in Cape Town yesterday afternoon (Thurs, 6 April).

The two friends had set out from Constantia Nek at 07h30 and hiked the trail on the back of Table Mountain, before following a “vague trail” down Porcupine Ravine (a shallow and challenging ravine on the Twelve Apostles) towards Camp’s Bay… until they realised they needed to call for help. WSAR teams were dispatched after 14h00, WSAR said in a statement.

Thanks to the WC government drone – from the Health EMS Drone Unit – the stranded hikers were quickly located.

On-scene rescue coordinator, Hugo Vaughan, said:

“While the drone was hovering above the patients, we were able to monitor the pair in real-time. We called the hikers on their cell phone and were able to safely guide them away from the cliff and onto the path, before the rescue team met up with them.

“This is the first time that we’ve used a drone to guide hikers back to a trail and out of harm’s way.

“This again demonstrates how diverse and valuable this technology is.”

The WSAR rescue team then guided them down the rest of the trail.

WSAR spokesperson David Nel said:

“It’s exiting to see younger hikers exploring our amazing wilderness spaces, and we applaud the two for calling for help when they felt unsafe.

“We really want to encourage more people to get out and take advantage of these beautiful spaces; but with the knowledge that a group of dedicated individuals are always willing to rush to their aid if they need help.

“To anyone venturing out for the first time, please consider joining a hiking group. There are numerous groups and online communities to consider, and new member will absolutely benefit from the valuable information sharing.”

WSAR is a network of government agencies, and civilian volunteer organisations, who partner in search and rescue.

“Members of the public are reminded to save and memorise the WSAR Emergency Contact Number: 021 937 0300,” says WSAR.