Table Mountain: 50-year-old hiker survives massive 15m fall
A 50-year-old hiker was hoisted to safety and rescued by dedicated teams of professionals and volunteers after falling almost five stories on the face of Table Mountain on Monday.
Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) Western Cape came to the aid of a 50-year-old hiker that fell 15 metres (almost five stories) on Table Mountain on Monday.
HOW IT UNFOLDED
According to SANParks – Table Mountain National Park, WSAR responded to a distress call on Table Mountain after a 50-year-old hiker fell from the contour path.
The hiker and her family were hiking between the India Venster and Platteklip Gorge routes on the face of Table Mountain when she stepped awkwardly and tumbled 15 metres from the trail.
The hiker’s family immediately called the WSAR emergency number and dedicated teams of professionals and volunteers were dispatched.
A rescue team on board the Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness EMS / Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter were flown to the scene of the fall.
A responder was hoisted down to a point close to the injured hiker to provide immediate assistance. After being treated by a paramedic and placed into a rescue stretcher, the hiker was hoisted from the mountain and flown to a nearby landing zone.
Here she was carried to a waiting ambulance and driven to hospital.
FIVE TABLE MOUNTAIN RESCUES PERFORMED OVER EASTER
WSAR had their hands full with distress calls over Easter and performed no fewer than six rescues.
According to the WSAR report on 30 March, five of these occurred on Table Mountain:
- Incident 1 – “Cliffed-out” hiker flown from Table Mountain
- Incident 2 – 11-year-old assisted from Platteklip Gorge trail
- Incident 3 – Collapsed 47-year-old American hiker flown from India Venster trail
- Incident 4 – Injured hiker flown from Lion’s Head
- Incident 5 – Rescuers respond to Platteklip Gorge for cramping hiker
A sixth incident involved the rescue of a 40-year-old hiker from a remote Hex River Mountain Range hiking trail.
A small WSAR team were flown to Waaihoekskloof, at the foot of the Hex River Mountains near Worcester. This was after a group of hikers reported that one of their members needed assistance.