Lost hikers rescued on Table Mountain.

Search And Rescue

On Friday the 26th of October 2018 at 14h14 the Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) was activated after a call for assistance was received by the Western Cape Emergency Medical Services. Three hikers who were unfamiliar with their route found themselves at a point where they no longer felt safe to proceed in any direction due to them being disorientated. One of the hikers was also suffering the effects of dehydration.

Their GPS location was plotted after a WhatsApp drop pin was forwarded to the Metro Rescue Incident Commander, who subsequently instructed a rapid response team and the Metro Rescue Mobile Incident Command vehicle to respond to the Lower Cable Station on Tafelberg road.

The reported location of the lost hikers.

In the meantime, SANParks Visitor Safety Patrollers drove up to the Back Table from Constantia Nek. Once at the reservoirs, they proceeded on foot in the direction of the Smuts Track below Maclear’s Beacon. The patients were quickly reached and medical assessments were made.

File photo

Once the Medical Rescue Technician was satisfied that the party was well enough to be walked out, the patients and the rescuers proceeded towards Kitchen Ravine and over to the Back Table. As these events were unfolding, members of our Logistical Support unit were driving up the Bridle Path which is the management road for the Back Table section of the Table Mountain National Park.

By 17h30 the rescuers and the patients had met up the 4×4 support vehicles alongside the reservoirs. After safely descending the mountain at Constantia Nek, the parties were driven to the Lower Cable Station to where the Mobile Incident Command vehicle was posted.