WSAR teams were hard at work at the weekend responding to several call outs. Picture: WSAR
Cape Town - A hiking party spent the weekend on the Wemmershoek Traverse near Paarl, after losing their way on the challenging trail on Friday.
“The hikers had lost their way on Friday and after spending two extra nights looking for the trail, contacted Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) for assistance.
“A team, including the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Drone Unit, was dispatched to scene to help locate the hikers early on Monday morning.
“After missing a turn, the hikers continued to a point on the Du Toitskloof Pass and a rescue team met them. They were driven back to their vehicles,” WSAR said.
WSRI teams were hard at work at the weekend responding to eight other incidents.
WSAR spokesperson David Nel said: “Rescue teams were called to assist with five incidents on Saturday and responded to four more on Sunday.”
A 61 year-old hiker slipped and injured her ankle on the wet wooden board walk above Newlands Forest on Saturday. She was safely carried from the contour path in a stretcher and driven to hospital by ambulance.
In another incident, a mountain biker crashed above Tokai Forest while descending from the Constantiaberg Mast. The biker was rescued and flown to a nearby landing zone, where he was transferred to an air ambulance and flown to hospital.
Later, a 39-year-old hiker found himself cliffed-out after he took a wrong turn while descending the India Venster hiking trail. His friends called for help when it became clear that he was unable to climb back up. A team aboard a 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. The hiker was safely hoisted into the helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone.
The last incident of the day involved a foreign hiker reported missing after becoming separated from his group of friends on Saturday afternoon. He was subsequently found safe on Lion’s Head.
On Sunday, teams responded to a fallen trail runner near De Villiers Reservoir on Table Mountain. The trail runner, believed to be in his 50s, slipped and fell on a wet section of the trail, and injured himself.
He was driven down the mountain and taken to hospital.
Meanwhile, a motorcycle veered off the road at the Franschhoek Pass.
The rider had tumbled down the cliff through the thick vegetation and landed near the river. He was placed into a stretcher and hoisted up into the helicopter before being flown to a nearby landing zone. He was transferred to a waiting ambulance and transported to hospital.
Nel said: “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.”
Contact WSAR on: 021 937 0300.
Cape Times