Table Mountain

At 14h25 on Wednesday the 4th of December 2019 the Peninsula Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) was activated after a caller reported that his hiking partner was clinging onto a ledge after taking a huge fall on the front face of Table Mountain above the Devil’s Peak saddle area.

This section of the mountain is known to be a more technical area with steep scrambles and routes that require rope plus safety aids. Rescuers were dispatched to the start of the Saddle path on Tafelberg road. Due to the strong wind at the time, the use of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) as well as the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (TMAC) were ruled out.

Once the rescue team had climbed up to the location of the patient, an assessment was made. Further back-up was requested in order to prepare for a very technical manual stretcher extraction of the 47 year old German tourist to the top of the mountain. He sustained suspected multiple fractures to his leg, arm, ribs and possibly his spine and other parts of his body as well.

Concurrently, the South African Air Force (SAAF) was contacted for the possible use of one of their military helicopters. 22 Squadron based at Air Force Base Ysterplaat (AFBY), Cape Town, was tasked to fly for this operation.

By this time there were approximately 35 volunteer and paid professional rescuers in the field. They were preparing to receive the SAAF helicopter at the scene of the incident. The patient was stabilised and secured in a rescue stretcher, after which he was hoisted into the helicopter and flown to the dedicated landing zone at Groote Schuur Hospital. Here he was transferred to a road ambulance which transported him to a private medical facility for further treatment.

The rest of the rescue party safely escorted the hiking partner of the injured tourist off the mountain.

It was learnt that the party of two were attempting to ascend Table Mountain via a lesser used route, when the terrain proved too challenging for them. After turning back, they tried to retrace their way when one of them slipped and fell a distance of approximately 25 meters. He landed on a narrow ledge against a lone tree which prevented him from falling over the edge. This most certainly saved him from much more severe injuries or worse.

We wish the gentleman a speedy recovery.

WSAR urges the public and tourists to please:-

  • make use of registered mountain guides
  • not attempt any route that you are unfamiliar with
  • always carry a Peter Slingsby map of the area in which you intend to hike
  • stay put and call the emergency number if you or your party feels unsafe or unable to proceed or retreat along a route

WSAR is a volunteer based organisation.

Call 021 937 0300 or 112 for any wilderness or mountain rescue response.

In association with the Western Cape Emergency Medical Services.

 

WSAR is a member of the International Commission of Alpine Rescue.

 

 

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