A dramatic rescue operation was undertaken on Table Mountain to save a 50-year-old local hiker who had fallen onto a narrow ledge. The hiker’s wife grew concerned when he failed to return home and made a call to Wilderness Search and Rescue’s emergency number: 021-937-0300, providing them with his accurate GPS location using the Life360 tracking application.
According to David Nel, spokesperson for Wilderness Search and Rescue Western Cape, the GPS location provided by the hiker’s wife was crucial in the rescue operation. ‘In an environment as vast and unforgiving as Table Mountain, that information changed everything,’ Nel said. The rescuers were able to head directly to the area, saving valuable time.
Rescue Operation
A team of volunteer rescuers, Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS paramedics, support staff, and a SANParks Table Mountain National Park ranger were quickly mobilised to the mountain. A small team from the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway also made the selfless decision to keep the cableway operating, allowing rescuers to move people and equipment rapidly up and down the mountain.
The rescuers moved quickly across the steep terrain, leaving the path entirely to search exposed slopes below the trail. They found the missing hiker just metres from the GPS coordinates provided by his wife. He had fallen off a drop-off onto a narrow ledge below the trail and was cold, critically injured, and unresponsive.
Advanced Life-Saving Treatment
Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS paramedics carefully descended onto the exposed ledge in darkness and immediately provided advanced life-saving treatment under exceptionally difficult conditions. ‘Working on a narrow mountainside at night, they fought to stabilise a man they had never met, relying on skill, teamwork, and countless hours of training,’ Nel explained.
Rope systems were built, anchors were established, and equipment was prepared in the darkness with the kind of calm coordination that only comes from years of training and shared experience. Once safely down the mountain, the injured hiker was handed over to a waiting ambulance and transported to the nearest hospital for further treatment.
The rescue operation was a testament to the bravery and skill of the rescuers, who risked their lives to save a stranger. As noted on the Wilderness Search and Rescue website, the organisation relies on donations to continue its life-saving work.
For those interested in learning more about the Table Mountain National Park, visit the SANParks website
- Always carry a GPS device or a phone with a GPS app when hiking
- Let someone know your hiking route and estimated return time
- Be prepared for emergencies by carrying a first aid kit and knowing basic first aid
