A 60-year-old hiker was airlifted from the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve on Thursday morning after falling about 40 metres from the Second Waterfall trail near Stellenbosch, reports Cape {town} Etc.
Duncan Fraser, WSAR/Facebook
Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) said that the man was walking with a group when he reportedly stepped awkwardly, slipped and tumbled down steep ground beside the path. His companions moved to an area with cellphone signal and called emergency services on 021 937 0300.
WSAR said a small rescue team, including a Western Cape Government Health and Wellness EMS paramedic, was flown straight to the scene to assess and stabilise the injured hiker. More rescuers, joined by a CapeNature work party, hiked in with technical gear and a stretcher.
Teams set up a rope system to reach the patient in the difficult terrain. After treatment on scene, they secured him in the stretcher, hauled him back to the trail and carried him to a point where a helicopter could complete a hoist evacuation.
The helicopter flew him to a nearby landing zone before an ambulance took him to hospital for further care. The operation ended shortly before 5:30pm, six and a half hours later. WSAR said, ‘We wish the injured hiker a full and speedy recovery.’
Article shared by Angelica Rhoda for Cape ETC
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